Tibet environment protector awarded China's top environmental prize

BEIJING, Feb. 21 (Xinhuanet) -- Chinese Vice Minister of Railways Sun Yongfu has been awarded the China Environment Prize for his arduous efforts in protecting the environment along the new Qinghai-Tibet Railway, the highest railway in the world.

received the prize at a grand ceremony held in Beijing on Tuesday together with four other winners, including three coal mining companies and Shi Zhenhua, head of the Jiangsu provincial environment watchdog.

deputy head of the leading group in charge of Qinghai-Tibet Railway Construction, Sun put forward the guiding principle of giving top priority to environment protection in building the railway before the project was kicked off.

the construction, Sun made great efforts to ensure that the fragile environment was effectively conserved.

Qinghai-Tibet railway, stretching from Qinghai Province to Lhasa, capital of Tibet, was completed in October last year and isexpected to go on trial operation in coming July.

other four winners were honored due to their outstanding contributions to clean production, urban environmental conservation, pollution control and remarkable improvement of environment in Jiangsu Province.