Xinhua reported on the recent forest pest control conference held in Changshai City of Hunan Province. A major issue discussed at the conference was that the infected forestry in China has grown from 120 million mu (19.7 million acres) in 2000 to 180 million mu (29.6 million acres) in 2013. The direct economic loss has grown from 80 trillion yuan (US$13 trillion) to 110 trillion yuan (US$18 trillion). The article said that, currently, there are over 8,000 types of alien insects in China and over 40 million trees die from as of result of insect infestation with two-thirds of the loss due to alien insects. According to the article, in the year 2000 foreign insects were intercepted at the border 500 times. By 2013 the number had grown to 610,000. At that time, 25 types of pests had invaded China; by 2013, the number grew to 38 different types.
Source: Xinhua, November 22, 2014
http://news.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2014-11/22/c_1113359472.htm