China will strengthen international cooperation on its environmental protection and adopt a new sustainable industrialization mode to achieve a harmonic development of man and nature, said Chinese Vice-Premier Zeng Peiyan in Beijing Saturday.

Zeng made the remarks when delivering a speech at an annual meeting of the China Council for International Cooperation on the Environment and Development (CCICED), China's international advisory body on environment and development decision-making process.

Zeng, also member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and chairman of the CCICED, said China will discard the traditional development mode which soaks up resources and destroys environment.

The sustainable industrialization will be the choice which is characterized by high technology, cost-effectiveness, low pollution and low consumption of resources and good use of labor force, he said.

Concerted efforts to solve global and regional environmental concerns should be based on the understanding and respect of every nation's sustainable development path chosen according to their special situations, Zeng said.

Zeng also urged developed countries to shoulder more responsibility of global environmental protection while developing countries should strive for the quality of their economic growth, said Zeng.

A reasonable transfer mechanism for environmental technologies should be established while paying attention to protection of intellectual property rights, Zeng said, adding that the developed countries should eliminate trade barriers set by demanding environmental standards.

On the three-day conference which closed Saturday, CCICED members put forward suggestions on China's energy strategy, cleaner production, recycling economy and green businesses.

"As a big country with strong sense of responsibility, China will pay closer attention to the issue of environment in planning the future development," said Zeng.

(Xinhua News Agency November 2, 2003)