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On Tuesday, President Hu Jintao laid out plans for China to increase its forest coverage by nearly 10 percent over the next decade.

Hu said at the first APEC Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Forestry that "China is ready to make new contributions to green and sustainable growth,"

The country currently has 196 million hectares of forest coverage, with 62 million hectares of that man-made -the most man-made forest in the world.

"The continuously increasing forest coverage in the Asia-Pacific area has become an important force in reversing the decline of world forest resources," Hu said. "The Asia-

Pacific region possesses the most abundant and unique forest ecosystem in the world."

The Asia-Pacific region has more than half of the world's total forest area and plays an important role in global forestry and economic development.

Hu proposed improving forestry development and cooperation through investment and scientific innovation, enhancing the protection of biodiversity, increasing carbon absorption by forests and reducing green trade barriers.

Graeme Meehan, deputy head of the Australian mission, said Australia recognizes that APEC can "play a significant role in global efforts to promote trade in legal forest products, sustainable forest management practices and forest rehabilitation".

The first APEC Forestry Ministerial Meeting runs from Tuesday to Thursday, and includes representatives from the 21 members of APEC and other international organizations.

Questions:

1. By how much does President Hu Jianto plan to increase forest coverage in China?

2. How many hectares of forest coverage does China currently have?

3. How much of the world’s total forest area does the Asia-Pacific region account for?

Answers:

1. 10 percent.

2. 196 million hectares.

3. More than half.

（中国日报网英语点津 Helen 编辑）

About the broadcaster:

?Christine Mallari is an intern at China Daily. She was born in Chicago, Illinois and raised in a nearby suburb before moving for college. After recently graduating from the University of Iowa with a degree in English, Journalism and Mass Communications, she moved to Beijing to work with China Daily. Though she has been working in journalism since high school, this is her first time doing so abroad.