A pilot checks the helicopter before it takes off for drug control patrol at Yanqing county of Beijing, capital of China, June 13, 2009. A helicopter was used for the first time on Saturday to help local police in poppy plantation hunting in suburb Beijing. The first hunt, which lasted about half an hour, found no poppy plantation in the region.

A helicopter was used for the first time on Saturday to help local police in poppy plantation hunting in suburb Beijing.

The copter, with experts onboard, hovered around the mountainous areas in Yanqing District and sent video images of the ground back to the headquarters.

“If there is any poppy plantation in these areas, they will be easily discerned by police in the headquarters,” said Zhao Wenzhong, a senior officer with the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau.

The first hunt, which lasted about half an hour, found no poppy plantation in the region.

He said the helicopter helped expand the search area and eliminate any “dead corner” thanks to the copter’s height.

“Some poppy growers, who plant poppies to make drugs, always choose the remote and sparsely populated areas at the border of Beijing and the neighboring Hebei Province,” Zhao said.

According to China’s law, growing more than 500 poppies is a crime. But several villages in suburb Beijing has a tradition of growing poppies mostly because villagers love the plant’s colorful blossoms or they use poppies as medicine ingredients.

A helicopter patrols in the mountain area in Yanqing county of Beijing, capital of China, June 13, 2009. A helicopter was used for the first time on Saturday to help local police in poppy plantation hunting in suburb Beijing. The first hunt, which lasted about half an hour, found no poppy plantation in the region.

?The environment ministers of China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) agreed in Beijing Sunday to step up public awareness campaigns on environmental protection.

At the 11th Tripartite Environment Ministers Meeting of China, Japan and South Korea (TEMM), Zhou Shengxian, China’s environment minister, discussed progress on environment policies with counterparts Tetsuo Saito, of Japan, and Lee Maanee, of the ROK.

They also talked about environmental challenges facing Northeast Asia and the world.

The three ministers agreed to focus cooperation on raising public awareness and participation in environmental protection. They also vowed to promote green cities and low-carbon products and to fight air and water pollution.

They also signed a joint statement, which is expected to be discussed and passed at the next China-Japan-ROK summit to be held in China later this year, Zhou told reporters.

Started in 1999, the TEMM is one of the highest-level environment meetings in Northeast Asia. The three countries take turns hosting the annual meeting to find out ways to promote regional environmental cooperation.