President Hu Jintao will present China's propositions on climate change at the upcoming outreach session of the G-8 Summit, Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai said in Beijing on Monday.

At the invitation of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Hu will attend the Summit held in Germany from June 6 to 8.

The Chinese government is serious about climate change and will handle the issue in a spirit of responsibility for human life, Cui told reporters at a press briefing.

"The Chinese population represents one fifth of the world's total... so the Chinese government is very conscious of the impact of global climate change," Cui said.

He said China will continue to pursue sustainable development and actively participate in world cooperation based on the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol, adding that developed countries must also do their part to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

"Poverty cannot resolve environment and climate issues. The preoccupation of developing countries with economic growth is understandable and legitimate," he said. "Developed nations must provide the funds and the technologies to help developing countries combat climate change."

Under the National Climate Change Program issued on Monday, the first by a developing country, China has pledged to restructure its economy, promote clean technologies, and improve energy efficiency.

This is the fourth outreach dialogue between the G-8 nations and leaders of developing countries. Cui said he hoped the meeting would strengthen north-south dialogue and cooperation, facilitate multilateralism so as to help resolve global issues, and create favorable conditions for developing countries.

(Xinhua News Agency June 5, 2007)