China to step up efforts to promote green development: Li Qiang

Premier Li Qiang of China on Tuesday said his country will move towards enhancing ecological conservation and promote green and low-carbon development.

He said this at the presentation of the report on the work of the government at the week-long second session of the 14th national people congress of China held at the great hall of Beijing, said a press release.

The National People's Congress (NPC), China's national legislature, opened its annual session on Tuesday and it will continue till March 11.

Li also said they will make concerted efforts to cut carbon emissions, reduce pollution, pursue green development, and boost economic growth so as to build a Beautiful China featuring harmony between humanity and nature.

Mentioning the comprehensive steps to improve the environment, the premier said the government will further implement the action plan for continuously improving air quality, make coordinated efforts to improve water resources, aquatic environments, and aquatic ecosystems, and better prevent and control soil contamination at the source.

He said, the control and treatment of solid waste, new pollutants, and plastic pollution will be stepped up.

Referring to the holistic and systematic approach to the protection and conservation of mountain, water, forest, farmland, grassland, and desert ecosystems and adopt a stronger region-specific approach to environmental management, he said they will make full preparations to ensure the success of the three landmark projects for the shelterbelt programme in northwest, north, and northeast China. The development of national parks will be advanced.

To promote the ecological conservation and improvement of important rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, the premier promised the government will continue to enforce the 10-year fishing ban on the Yangtze River, and carry out major biodiversity conservation programmes.

Premier Li said it will improve the mechanisms for realising the market value of ecosystem goods and services and the systems of compensation for ecological conservation to motivate everyone to get involved in environmental conservation and protection.

He said they will push forward with the green transformation of the industrial structure, the energy mix, and the transportation sector as well as urban and rural development.

The report also said the government will see that coal and coal-fired power play their crucial role in ensuring energy supply to meet the needs of social development.

President of China Xi Jinping and other Chinese leaders attended the opening meeting.