China's emission-cuts unaffected by slowing economy (3)

Zhuang Jian, an economist with the Asian Development Bank, also said that the Chinese government has sent a clear signal to local governments that they must get off the old track of growth based on heavy energy consumption.

"They must put energy conservation and emission reduction at a prominent position to realize sustainable development," Zhuang said.

China has long prioritized energy conservation.

In early 1980s, it put forward the development policy of "stressing both energy development and conservation, while giving priority to conservation."

According to a report delivered at the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in early November, the country will continue to give high priority to making ecological progress.

China should address the root cause of deterioration of the ecological environment to reverse this trend, create a sound working and living environment for the people and contribute its share to global ecological security, the report said.

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