Bank supplies trees

Peking -- China expects to spend $330m (£217m), including a World Bank loan of $200m, on planting trees this spring, the head of the forestry ministry was quoted as saying yesterday.

Xu Youfang said 1.53 million acres of high-yield timber forests and 692,000 acres of "shelter belts," will be planted in 200 counties across the country to improve the environment, the Chinese agency, Xinhua, reported. The project is expected to increase forest cover in the 200 counties by three to five percent in 20 years, it said, citing experts.