Chinese Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan (L) addresses the eighth China Development Forum in Beijing, on March 18, 2007. The forum attended by scholars, government officials and entrepreneurs who are interested in the Chinese economy kicks off here on Sunday. (Xinhua/Li Xiaoguo) Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- China will push comprehensive, coordinated and sustainable economic and social development, paying attention to energy conservation and environmental protection, Chinese Vice-Premier Zeng Peiyan said on Sunday.

    Zeng made the remarks here on Sunday at the opening ceremony of the China Development Forum.

    He said China will accelerate development of the service industry and promote expansion of domestic demand.

    Great efforts will be made to develop renewable energy and alternative energy.

    The country's failure to meet its annual energy saving and pollution control targets last year was mainly attributed to slow progress in industrial restructuring and fast growth in sectors that consumed more energy and discharged more pollutants, according to previous reports.

    To meet its energy saving and emission reduction targets in the2006 to 2010 period, China plans to close small thermal power generating units with a total capacity of 50 million kilowatts, 100 million tons of outmoded iron production capacity and 55 million tons of outmoded steel production capacity by 2010, said Zeng.

    According to the government's 11th Five-Year Plan (2006-2010), energy consumption for every 10,000-yuan (1,298 U.S. dollars) of gross domestic product should be reduced by 20 percent by the end of that period.

    Meanwhile, the discharge of sulfur dioxide and chemical oxygen demand (COD) should drop by 10 percent.

    China will establish a price mechanism to reflect energy scarcities and the costs of pollution and improve its financial, taxation and legal system to encourage energy saving and environmental protection, said Zeng.

    Zeng also said that China will strive for realizing basic equilibrium of balance of international payments, promote coordinated development of the eastern, central and western regions, push forward scientific and technological renovation and accelerate building of a harmonious society.

Ma Kai: China to move away from energy-intensive growth

Ma Kai, head of the National Development and Reform Commission addresses the eighth China Development Forum in Beijing, on March 18, 2007. The forum attended by scholars, government officials and entrepreneurs who are interested in the Chinese economy kicks off here on Sunday. (Xinhuanet/Yao Yong)  Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- With China using 15 percent of the energy consumed in the world to produce 5.5 percent of the global GDP, it's imperative the country move from a high energy-consuming economy to one that provides for more sustainable development, said Ma Kai, head of the National Development and Reform Commission on Sunday.

    Ma was speaking at the China Development Forum which began on Sunday.

    Ever increasing rates of energy consumption are the norm for developing nations, which have become low-cost factory economies, that are mainly contracted by Western companies to make products for developed countries, said Ma.

Minister: Better rural healthcare needed

    BEIJING, March 19 -- Bird flu could spread fast in rural areas in case of an outbreak because of the loopholes in the public health system, Health Minister Gao Qiang warned yesterday. Speaking at the China Development Forum, Gao conceded that the country's disease control and prevention system needed more professional medical staff, better infrastructure and more funds.

    The bird flu virus has claimed 14 human lives on the mainland since 2003.

    "There are loopholes at the grassroots level because of the absence of specialized professionals, poor emergency response mechanism and incomplete information network at the county- and town-level disease control and prevention institutions," he said.

Joseph Stiglitz: rising yuan's value could harm China's rural areas

Nobel Laureate Joseph E. Stiglitz, a professor from Columbia University in New York, makes a speech at the academic summit of the China Development Forum 2007 (CDF) in Beijing, on March 17, 2007. More than 100 experts from home and abroad attended the summit Saturday. (Xinhuanet/Yao Yong)  Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, March 18 (Xinhua) -- A sharp appreciation of China's currency will adversely effect the country's rural areas, said Nobel Laureate Joseph E. Stiglitz at the ongoing China Development Forum being held in Beijing.

    To deal with its rocketing trade surplus, China should levy a tax on exports rather than allowing the value of the yuan to rise, said Stiglitz, a professor from Columbia University in New York.

    The export tax would increase central government revenues which could be used to invest in rural areas, he added.

The eighth China Development Forum kicks off in Beijing, on March 18, 2007. The forum is attended by scholars, government officials and entrepreneurs who are interested in the Chinese economy. (Xinhua/Li Xiaoguo) Photo Gallery>>>

The eighth China Development Forum kicks off in Beijing, on March 18, 2007. The forum is attended by scholars, government officials and entrepreneurs who are interested in the Chinese economy.(Xinhua/Li Xiaoguo)  Photo Gallery>>>