XINING - Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli has underlined the importance of environmental protection in northwest China's Qinghai Province.

Zhang made the remarks during a visit to Qinghai between Thursday and Friday.

As an important shield for China's ecological security, the province should make clear areas that are off-limits for development and the rules for access to create natural space in which people and nature co-exist in harmony, Zhang said.

Qinghai should build a green and sustainable industrial system with its own distinctive features and push ahead construction of projects including the Qilian Mountain water conservation area and the region surrounding the Qinghai Lake, Zhang said.

He also said that the environment supervision system and the natural resource asset management mechanism must be improved.