PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc (C) wants officials to hold greater individiual responsibility for forest protection

At a national teleconference on forest management and protection on Saturday, Mr. Phuc underlined the individual responsibility in this endeavor.

“Deforestation and illegal forest exploitation continue to occur despite the resolute will of the entire political system. Local authorities must be held accountable for this problem. All violations must be duly punished,” the PM said. 

By last year, forest coverage in Vietnam reached 14.3 million ha, up more than 300,000 from the previous year.