During his visit to Xi'an, capital of Shaanxi Province on April 21, Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasised ecological environment. He visited the Niubeiliang National Nature Reserve to learn about ecological conservation in the Qinling Mountains. Meeting local officials, he warned "The illegal construction in the Qinling Mountains is a big lesson. From now on, any official working in Shaanxi should above all learn this lesson, avoid repeating the same mistake..".

(Comment:  Local officials had allowed construction of 1,100 illegal villas at the northern foot of Qinling range, which were demolished by the central government after July 2018. Numerous high-level officials, including former Shaanxi Party Secretary Zhao Zhengyong, were purged and punished.)