Research data, "observations and monitoring data on comprehensive researches of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau", was made public by an institute under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in Lanzhou recently.

This is the first time for China to make public such data. According to Cheng Guodong, director of the frigid and dry areas environmental engineering institute under CAS. The data will be of great help for researches on ecological changes and regional sustained development.

"To be specific, this data is of significance for researches on frozen earth, hydrology, desertification, architecture in cold areas as well as studies on global climate changes and forecast," Cheng said.

"The data are hard-won and should become a wealth that benefits the entire mankind," he added.

According to him, the data, divided into five parts, has been published and will be soon available on the Internet.

Date:Wednesday, November 22, 2000
Peopledaily