China to further raise forest coverage and stock volume by 2030

China's newly unveiled goal to expand forest coverage by 2030 reflects a new requirement to strengthen ecological and environmental security, experts said.

The outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) approved by China's national lawmakers on Thursday includes forest coverage as a major goal for economic and social development. The development blueprint pledges efforts to increase forest coverage to 25.8 percent by 2030, marking an increase of 0.71 percent from the national forest coverage rate in 2025.

Experts said during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), by adhering to systematic governance and launching major ecological projects, China saw approximately 36.6 million hectares of forests planted, with forest stock volume totaling almost 20.99 billion cubic meters, achieving a historic leap in land afforestation.

However, challenges remain. According to experts, a lack of forests and vegetation in the country is still a problem, and the capabilities of forests to conserve water, drive economic benefits, increase grain output, and serve as carbon sinks have not yet been fully realized. This requires the implementation of large-scale greening programs in a well-planned way to make targeted improvements to forest quality and expand the area of national reserve forests.

The outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan also sets a target to increase the country's forest stock volume to 22.4 billion cubic meters by 2030.

"One specific target is that China expects to increase the forest stock volume to 22.4 billion cubic meters in 2030. We will not just focus on realizing higher forest coverage but also making better use of the substantial benefits of forest reserves. This means the forests will grow denser, able to absorb more carbon and release more oxygen, while also supporting economic growth and people's livelihoods through green development," said Wang Xiaoli, an associate professor of the Department of Social and Ecological Development at the National Academy of Governance.

China to further raise forest coverage and stock volume by 2030

A surge in global demand has set Yiwu's manufacturing and logistics chain running at full speed this spring, with factories and shippers all working overtime to meet orders bound for markets worldwide.

Many manufacturers in Yiwu, an eastern Chinese city known as "the world’s supermarket," reported a steady rise in orders in the first quarter of 2026.

Among them are sports goods makers racing to deliver ahead of the 2026 World Cup in North America.

"In the first two months alone, we sent about four containers of goods. Orders have gradually come in from South America and Africa, and the current orders can keep our production running through May," said Wu Xiaoming, general manager of a sports firm in Yiwu.

At Yiwu's bonded zone, customs brokers swiftly checked documents to ensure exports reach global markets fast.

"Today's shipments mainly are kitchenware, tableware and small home appliances. They are mainly bound for Germany and Spain," said Fu Jianying, a customs broker.

Yiwu has now linked 26 international rail freight routes, building a logistics network that covers more than 160 cities in about 50 countries. With smooth transport, creative design and strong manufacturing capacity, the city's cross-border trade is accelerating, underscoring its role as a hub of global small commodities.

Yiwu cross‑border trade gains speed this spring