A senior Chinese official on Wednesday said China supports
efforts to improve global environmental protection to achieve
sustainable development.
China is ready to actively participate in discussions on
environmental protection, China's Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui
told an informal meeting on environmental protection and
sustainable development.
The two-day ministerial environmental meeting opened in Rio de
Janeiro Monday, gathering representatives from 22 countries and the
UN.
Zhang, head of the Chinese delegation to the meeting, said the
environmental problems boil down to the issue of development.
Three principles in dealing with the problems should be
established, Zhang said.
The first principle to meet environmental challenges is to
ensure a balanced development of economy, society and environment,
the Chinese official said.
Secondly, any measures in this regard should be taken in the
framework of UN reforms, especially in reforms of its branches in
charge of economic and social affairs, he said.
Finally, short-term measures and long-term targets in
environment protection should be differentiated.
In dealing with environmental protection, the international
community should try its best to carry out the widely-recognized
measures while continue to discuss those with disputes, Zhang
said.
The role of the UN Environmental Program should be enhanced and
its efficiency and ability in tackling the problems strengthened to
promote coordination between multilateral environmental protection
conventions, provide steady and sufficient fund for global fight
against environmental degradation and render technical support for
developing countries.
The participants discussed a variety of issues including
challenges in environmental protection and cooperation in
sustainable development.
(Xinhua News Agency September 6, 2007)
