The State Council has approved a plan to set up a national park for tigers and leopards in Northeast China's Jilin province, according to a document released on Oct 14.

During construction of the park, related departments should uphold the philosophy that clear waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, and adopt a holistic approach to conserve mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands and deserts, the circular said.

As a national park, it should put ecological protection as a top priority, represent the country and benefit the people. The originality and completeness of the whole ecosystem should be enhanced, and proper measures should be carried out to balance ecological protection and people's work and lives.

The National Forestry and Grassland Administration (National Park Administration), working with Jilin and Heilongjiang provincial governments, should strengthen organization, improve working mechanisms, and take on duties to step up protection of tigers and leopards in the region, and restore their habitats while pushing forward construction of the national park in an active, steady and orderly manner, and formulating a general outline for the park.

Relevant departments of the State Council should ramp up support for the park and provide guidance on planning, policy formulation, fund investments, and project arrangements.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and the State Forestry and Grassland Administration (National Parks Administration) should coordinate to resolve difficulties during the construction and report any major issues to the State Council.