Houses are built on slopes in East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The sloping fields in East China's Zhejiang province have been opened up for construction on a trial basis.

Zhejiang is long known for its scarity of farmland, which is why the government has been reluctant to open it up for construction. The new move to instead open up the mild slopes is intended to solve this long-standing dilemma, striking a balance between economic development and the preservation of farmland.

Huang Zhiping, director of the Zhejiang provincial department of natural resources, stressed in an article the significance of removing land restrictions in the province's drive to achieve rural revitilizaiton and implement the "Two Mountains" theory.

The theory, which states that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, was first proposed in Huzhou's Anji county in 2005. 

The theory has since proved to be an important guiding force for both rural and urban areas in China, as the country seeks high-quality economic growth and abides by its global commitments on ecological protection and development.