China will establish a national park for Sanjiangyuan, the headwater region of Yellow, Yangtze and Lancang rivers, as approved by the State Council, according to a circular 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 with the work and lives of farmers and herdsmen.

Qinghai province and Tibet autonomous region should enhance organization and cooperation, and the Ministry of Natural Resources and the National Forestry and Grassland Administration (National Park Administration) should enhance supervision, according to the circular.