The State Council, China's highest governing body, discussed and passed a draft law on grassland at its 61st executive meeting in Beijing on Wednesday.
The meeting was presided over by Premier Zhu Rongji.
China is a country with abundant grassland resources. It is critical for the country to protect, develop and rationally utilize grassland in a bid to boost economic and social development, according to the meeting.
The previous version of the law on grassland, which was enacted in 1985, cannot meet the demand for grassland protection under the current circumstances.
After further revisions, the draft law will be submitted to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.
(Xinhua News Agency July 3, 2002)
