China is willing to promote the forest network development in the Asia-Pacific region, Vice Premier Hui Liangyu said on Friday.

Hui made the remarks in a meeting with Juan Carlos Capunay, executive director of the Secretariat of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, and other representatives who are here for the launching meeting of an Asia-Pacific Network on Forest Rehabilitation and Sustainable Management.

The network is proposed by Chinese President Hu Jintao at last year's APEC Economic Leaders Meeting in Sydney. The United States and Australia soon joined the initiation.

The network, officially launched Thursday in Beijing, provides a platform for APEC members to share best practices, conduct policy dialogue and carry out personnel training on forest rehabilitation and management.

"China has taken substantial actions to implement the proposal ever since it was put forward," Hui said, adding that forest protection played an important role in addressing climate change and ecological balance of the planet.

He said China is willing to work with the APEC, the United States, Australia and other countries to make new contribution for the improvement of Asia-Pacific and global environment.

Capunay spoke highly of China's action and efforts of forest protection, expressing the will to push forward the development of forest network.

(Xinhua News Agency September 27, 2008)