BEIJING, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice-Premier Hui Liangyu on Monday called for global cooperation and the participation of women in fighting against desertification.

    He told the Beijing International Conference on Women and Desertification that China would encourage social participation, including women, and increase spending in combating desertification and ecological construction.

    "The solution to the difficult problem of desertification needsthe joint efforts of the international community," Hui said.

    He said the meeting would help to strengthen international cooperation and share experience in combating desertification among more than 50 participating countries and international organizations.

    He said the desert area in China had reached 2.64 million square km, 27 percent of the national territory, affecting 400 million people.

    Desert expansion had been and the desert area was now shrinking,said Hui.

    He acknowledged that combating desertification was related to ecological improvement, poverty alleviation and sustainable development.

    The Beijing International Conference on Women and Desertification was co-sponsored by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification and the governments of Algeria, Italy and China.

    The four-day event is one of the major U,N. conferences to markthe 2006 International Year of Deserts and Desertification. Enditem