Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has vowed the government will adopt
more effective measures in ensuring the country's energy
consumption and pollution reduction targets stated as part of the
Chinese government's 2006-2010 five-year plan are met.
The State Council, China's cabinet, held a national
teleconference on energy conservation and pollution reduction in
Beijing on Friday.
Wen Jiabao said at the meeting that China will continue to rein
in the rapid growth of sectors with high energy consumption and
high pollution.
The Chinese Premier laid out a set of measures in this regard.
He said China will accelerate the structural adjustment of
industries with outdated production capacites. The government will
support enterprises to upgrade their equipment, in order to
conserve energy and reduce pollution. The Premier said the
country's key enterprises will be especially targeted in this
campaign.
Meanwhile, the country will promote recycling economy and
clean-production nationwide. Fiscal and tax policies will be
strengthened towards these ends. A compensation mechanism will be
established to repair ecological deterioration caused by
production.
Also on Friday, more than 200 officials and experts gathered in
Beijing to generate ideas on China's upcoming Energy Law.
The law being drafted will be the country's first fundamental
and comprehensive energy law.
In his keynote speech at the seminar, Chinese Vice Premier, Zeng Peiyan, said the law will address issues
impacting overall energy development and provide a legal framework
for energy supply, preservation and cooperation.
China has set a goal to slash its energy consumption per unit of
gross domestic product by 20 percent and the discharges of sulfur
dioxide (SO2) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) by 10 percent
between 2006 and 2010.
However, the country only lowered its energy consumption per
unit of gross domestic product by 1.2 percent last year - well
short of its four percent target.
(Xinhua News Agency April 28, 2007)