With the fast development of its economy, China's demand for resources is continually increasing. But its efficiency of resource-use is quite low compared with developed countries. As a consequence, China is speeding up the construction of its resource-conservation standard system.

China currently has over 100 resource-efficiency targets, but they are unsystematic and cover only limited areas.

The new standard-system will cover important resources such as energy, water, raw materials, renewable resources and so on.

Yin Hanming of the Standardization Administration of China, says the government is making efforts to speed up the establishment of the resource-saving standard system.

"The Standardization Administration is drawing up a resource-saving standard system which will prove effective within three to five years. The system will be tailored for China's social and economic development," said Yin. 

Currently, China accounts for about 4 percent of the world's total GDP, but its consumption of resources far exceeds that level. For example, the energy consumed to provide heating per unit in China is about three times that of developed countries with a similar climate.

Meanwhile, energy experts say the setting up of a resource-saving standard system will require constant adjustment when the national economy develops.

Lang Zhizheng, of the Beijing Institute of Technology, believes complimentary policies and regulations should be set up to improve energy saving.

"Preferential financial policies should be given to encourage the whole of society to save resources."

Lang Zhizheng added that a supervisory system should also be set up to monitor the effective implementation of the targets.

(CRI September 24, 2005)