China will take concrete measures to strengthen its environment protection so as to ensure a sustainable development for the East Asian country, Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan said in Nairobi Monday during a UN's environment meeting.   

Ministers and national delegations from over 100 countries in the world is gathering here in Nairobi-based United Nations Environment Program headquarters to discuss in what way efforts should be made to secure the world a better environment and a sustainable development future.

Zeng said at the opening ceremony that the Chinese government takes sustainable development as a national strategy. By formulating the Program of Action for Sustainable Development in China in the Early 21st Century, environmental protection has been incorporated into national development plan and programs.

He specified in the area of environmental protection, China will give priority to five measures as clean production, developing circular economy, controlling pollutant discharge, promoting ecological preservation and protecting the environment according to law.

China will carry out auditing and establish a management system for clean production, Zeng said, adding that China will adjust and optimize energy sources, improve energy efficiency, promote the use of clean and renewable energy and clean coal technologies.

He said, China will further adjust and upgrade traditional industries like metallurgy, construction material, chemical industry, energy, textile and the light industry, quicken the phasing out of out-dated technologies and equipment and close down severely polluting and resource-wasting factories and mines according to law.

Zeng said China will promote the recycle of resources and vigorously develop the environmental protection industry. China will vigorously promote energy conservation in construction, power sharing at work and at home, certification and compulsory labeling systems for energy and water-saving products and the formulation and implementation of standards for intensive land use.

Comprehensive treatment will be adopted to control and reduce agriculture non-point source pollution, according to Zeng.

Also, attention will be paid to new pollution problems such as tail gas, electronic wastes, noise and soil pollution, and a licensing system for pollutant discharge will be widely adopted.

Zeng also made five proposals to the world environment leaders that the countries must strengthen cooperation in the global context in order to preserve the ecological environment and achieve common development.

The world should further enhance multilateral and bilateral cooperation, advance economic, technical and management cooperation in an all-round way, conduct cooperation in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals, and actively explore new areas of cooperation, said Zeng.

He pledged that the Chinese government will earnestly implement its basic state policy of environmental protection, carry out international environment conventions and make its contribution to resolving the environmental and development issues facing mankind.

Later Monday, the first China-Africa Environment Cooperation Conference will also be held at the Nairobi-based UNEP headquarters. Zeng and Xie Zhenhua, head of State Environment Protection Administration of China, are expected to make speeches, sharing China's experiences in environment protection, and making proposals for Sino-Africa cooperation.

The 23rd Session of UNEP Governing Council and Global Ministerial Environment Forum entitled "Protecting the Environment: the Thread That Runs Through the Millennium Development Goals" will be held from February 21 to 25 in the UNEP headquarters.

(Xinhua News Agency February 22, 2005)