China's giant panda habitat (栖息地) was included on the World Heritage List Wednesday at the 30th session
of the World Heritage Committee( WHC) in Vilnius, capital of Lithuania.
     Another Chinese site applying for inclusion, the ruins of the Shang Dynasty capital in Anyang, Henan
Province, is also due to be discussed by members.
     After deliberation, the 30th session of the WHC unanimously (一致性地) agreed to include the giant panda
habitat, making it the 35th Chinese site on the list. 
     "We greatly thank the Chinese Government for submitting (提交) such a good application to the WHC to
enrich tile World Heritage List," said the WHC.
     "We greatly thank the Chinese Government for its tremendous effort to protect such a precious site of
bio-diversity (生物多样性)."
     Wang Fengwu, a member of the Chinese delegation at the meeting, told Chinese reporters that the decision
would prompt effective protection of rare and endangered animals and plant species.
     The giant panda habitat of Sichuan Province covers a 9,510 square-kilometre area including the
world-renowned Wolong Nature Reserve, China has spent 20 years trying to get the area included _____,said
Wang, who is also deputy director general of the Department of Urban Development at the Ministry of
Construction.
      The application topped a list of 37 proposed new sites vying (竞争) for inclusion. The giant panda habitat is
home to at least 300 giant pandas and a variety of endangered flora (植物).
     The World Wildlife Fund's former China director James Harkness once said that the panda's territory
contained some of the most critical regions for bio-diversity conservation in the world.