Chinese President Hu Jintao on Thursday delivered a speech at
the opening ceremony of the business summit of the Asia-Pacific
Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, expounding China's views on
building a sustainable future.
In his speech entitled "Advancing Comprehensive Cooperation in
Pursuit of Sustainable Development," Hu said the Chinese government
attaches great importance to sustainable development and will
follow the path of a new type of industrialization.
China will quicken the pace of developing a circular economy and
building a resource-efficient and environment-friendly society, he
told the gathering of APEC business leaders.
China will ensure that production and consumption meet the
requirement of sustainable development and is working to promote
the sustainability of the eco-system and socio-economic system to
advance comprehensive economic and social progress and all-round
development of the people, he said.
Hu is on a state visit to Australia and will attend the 15th
Economic Leaders' Meeting of the APEC forum scheduled for Saturday
and Sunday.
Five-point proposal on building a sustainable
future
The Chinese president said the world economy is undergoing
profound changes and offering rare development opportunities. On
the other hand, problems such as growing imbalances in the world
economy, mounting pressure on energy resources and the increasingly
acute issue of climate change pose grave challenges to all
countries and regions which are endeavoring to build a sustainable
future.
Hu raised the following five-point proposal on building a
sustainable future.
First, to promote balanced world economic growth is an important
basis for building a sustainable future.
All countries should work to make the international economic
order more equitable so as to create conditions for ensuring
balanced growth of the world economy and sustainable development in
the future, he said.
Second, to set up a sound multilateral trading regime is a
primary guarantee for building a sustainable future.
A fair, open, equitable and non-discriminatory multilateral
trading regime contributes to the sustainable growth of the world
economy and development of international trade and serves the
interests of all, he said.
All parties should work to ensure that the Doha Round will
attain the goal of a development round and that developing members
can truly benefit from it, he added.
Third, to ensure stable energy supply is a major factor
contributing to building a sustainable future.
The international community should pursue a new approach toward
energy security that calls for mutually beneficial cooperation,
diversified development and ensures energy supply through
coordination, Hu said in the speech.
An equitable technology transfer system should be established to
help all countries, developing countries in particular, use energy
in a more efficient, economical and convenient way, he added.
Fourth, to maintain a sound natural environment is the key
condition for building a sustainable future.
"We should, within the context of sustainable development,
uphold the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
and its Kyoto Protocol as the core mechanism and main avenue of
cooperation, follow the principle of 'common but differentiated
responsibilities' and tackle climate change proactively through
extensive international cooperation," he added.
Fifth, to advance scientific and technological innovation and
education is an important driving force for building a sustainable
future.
"We should increase input in education, enhance educational
cooperation and intensify human resources training to provide
strong human resources and intellectual support to all countries,
especially to developing countries, in their development and inject
new vitality into world economic growth," the Chinese president
urged.
China committed to pursuing development in an open
environment
In his speech, Hu briefed the business leaders on the
achievements China has made since it adopted the policy of reform
and opening up 29 years ago as well as China's trade policies.
Since its accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), China
has honored its commitments in good faith, he said. It has adjusted
its trade policy in keeping with the WTO rules, Hu said.
China is committed to pursuing development in an open
environment and achieving common prosperity of all countries
through mutually beneficial cooperation, said the Chinese
president.
Hu said China takes an active part in regional economic
cooperation and promotes trade and investment liberalization and
facilitation in the Asia-Pacific region.
"We are ready to forge closer business ties with other APEC
member economies and non-APEC countries and regions on the basis of
equality and mutual benefit," said the Chinese president.
China will continue to transform the pattern of trade growth,
increase import and strengthen protection of intellectual property
rights to ensure coordinated and balanced growth of import and
export and contribute to the sustainable growth of global trade, he
added.
China takes product quality and safety very
seriously
China takes quality and safety of its export products very
seriously and follows a highly responsible approach toward it, he
said.
"From product manufacturing to transportation and import and
export, we are making every effort to ensure product quality and
safety," he said.
China is willing to step up cooperation in product quality and
safety with other parties to improve quality and guarantee safety
in international trade, he added.
China takes responsible position on climate
change
China takes a responsible position regarding climate change and
will increase exchanges and cooperation with other countries to
jointly tackle the issue, Hu said.
The Chinese government has formulated a national program on
addressing climate change and taken a series of steps, including
enhancing energy efficiency, improving energy mix, strengthening
environmental protection, slowing down population growth and
improving judicial framework, he said.
China has set the targets of bringing down energy consumption
per unit of GDP by 20 percent, cutting the total discharge of major
pollutants by 10 percent and increasing forest coverage from 18.2
percent to 20 percent between the end of 2005 and 2010, he
added.
The two-day APEC business summit, which opened on Thursday, is
an important forum of the APEC meetings. It will focus on trade,
market and structural issues as well as energy, clean development,
climate change and education.
(Xinhua News Agency September 6, 2007)