The Communist Party of China (CPC) has vowed to establish a sound system to protect the country's ecological environment, according to the communique issued after the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee, with experts saying it is a major breakthrough in environmental protection.

In the communique, a clear proposition of the "ecological red line" was put forward for the first time. The Chinese leadership urges the drawing of a "red line" for ecological protection and the implementation of a system of paid use of resources and ecological compensation.

Pan Jiahua, director of the Institute for Urban and Environmental Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), hailed the proposal, saying it is of great importance to the country's development, especially since natural resources are relatively scarce and environmental pollution is increasing.

Pan said that environment, including water and air, is also a kind of resources, which needs proper allocation, adding that the market should play a decisive role in allocating and the government should reduce administrative intervention.

Pan suggests that the government should keep its regulatory role for properly supervision and that legal, administrative and operational systems are also needed to keep the roles of the market and government functioning well.