The new Asia-Pacific partnership on clean development and climate needs concrete measures, State Councilor Hua Jianmin said in Sydney today.

 

"It is needed to develop practical and feasible cooperative plans in accordance with the principle of results orientation and high efficiency so as to implement the objectives of the partnership through concrete projects," he said.

 

Hua was speaking at the concluding session of the two-day inaugural meeting of the new partnership.

 

He suggested establishing a mechanism to remove the barriers to technology transfer, reduce the cost of technology deployment and ensure access and affordability of all countries to advanced technologies.

 

He also called for mechanisms to facilitate technology cooperation and resource mobilization.

 

At the meeting, ministers from the six partners, namely Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea and the US, agreed to set up eight special task forces to address climate change.

 

Hua welcomed the partnership as a constructive cooperative framework. He said the Chinese government supports all measures that contribute to economic development, poverty eradication, environmental protection, climate change mitigation and enhanced international exchange and cooperation.

 

He stressed that the partnership should address climate change within the framework of sustainable development.

 

"Economic development is not only a prerequisite for the subsistence and progress of human beings, but also a material foundation for the protection and improvement of global environment," he said.

 

He also pointed out that China has made remarkable achievements in energy conservation and environmental protection. From 1990 to 2004, China supported a 9.3 percent annual economic growth with 5 percent annual increase of energy consumption.

 

(Xinhua News Agency January 12, 2006)