BEIJING, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- China will step up efforts to strengthen ecological conservation during the 2026-2030 period as it continues to pursue green modernization, according to a recently issued development plan.

The plan, jointly issued by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Ministry of Natural Resources and other departments, said China aims to steadily improve the quality of its ecosystems, enhance ecosystem diversity, stability and resilience, and better safeguard the country's ecological security.

The plan also sets specific targets for the period, including keeping the proportion of land area covered by protected areas at no less than 18 percent of the country's total land area and raising the Ecological Quality Index (EQI) to 86.5. It also calls for increasing the soil and water conservation rate to above 74 percent and raising the forest coverage rate to 25.8 percent.

It also outlines tasks to further optimize the ecological spatial configuration, advance ecosystem protection and restoration, and comprehensively strengthen biodiversity conservation.

China has continued to strengthen ecological conservation and environmental protection. The country's landmark Ecological and Environmental Code, set to take effect this Saturday, marks another major step in these efforts, providing stronger legal support for sustainable and environmentally friendly development.