Lush greenery envelops the pedestrian walkway at Jinji Mountain Park in Fuzhou, Fujian province. [Photo by Chen Nuan for China Daily]

East China's Fujian province has once again topped the list as China's greenest province, with its forest coverage rate rising to 65.85 percent, maintaining the country's top spot for 47 consecutive years, according to the latest data from the Fujian Provincial Forestry Bureau.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), the province completed 5.56 million mu (370,667 hectares) of afforestation. This year, it aims to plant another 700,000 mu of trees to further bolster its ecological lead, according to official data.

As one of the first National Ecological Civilization Pilot Zones, Fujian has successfully balanced rapid economic growth with environmental preservation, Ye Renyou, deputy director of the Fujian Provincial Development and Reform Commission, said at a recent news conference in Fuzhou.

"Fujian has created 4.3 percent of the country's total economic output with 3 percent of the nation's energy consumption," Ye said, highlighting a path of high-quality coordination between the economy and ecology.

Looking ahead to the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), the province is gearing up to meet China's "dual carbon" goals. Ye emphasized that Fujian will implement a control system for both total carbon emissions and emissions intensity, calling it "a tough challenge that must be faced, but also a significant development opportunity".

The province plans to build a green industrial pattern centered on innovative initiatives such as replacing plastic with bamboo and constructing more zero-carbon industrial parks.

"We must integrate green lifestyles into daily routines," Ye said, urging efforts to guide the public to reduce single-use plastics and embrace waste classification.