Li Peng Meets 2nd CCICED DelegatesLi Peng expressed thanks for the proposals given to the Chinese government by the CCICED. He said that over the past 10 years both overseas and Chinese members of the CCICED have shown great care for China's environment and development, put forward many good proposals for the Chinese government and contributed their wisdom with hard work. He said that many of the CCICED proposals have been adopted by China's central and local governments and have turned into policies and results that helped push forward China's economic development and the improvement in the biological environment. The Chinese government will continue to support the operation of the 3rd CCICED. Li pointed out that as early as the 1980s, the Chinese government made environmental protection a basic national policy, and established a sustainable development strategy as the state's fundamental development strategy. These moves indicate that the Chinese government has begun to balance environment and development in its actual work, trying to protect the environment amidst development and realize sustainable development. He stressed that China is paying attention to the establishment and improvement of an environment legal system, and has formulated more than 10 laws concerning the protection of the environment and resources. At the same time, Li said, China has also reinforced the enforcement of laws, with examinations carried out every year on the execution of various laws, which helped promote the consciousness of governments at different levels and the general public to protect the environment according to law. He said that over the past five years, China's investment in environmental protection accounted for 0.93 percent of the GDP, and in the next five years, this figure will surely be raised. Li said that China is willing to actively participate in global environment cooperation affairs, earnestly perform international treaties it has signed, and shoulder responsibility and duty in line with its development level. In areas such as the protection of the ozone layer, maintaining bio-diversity, controlling cross- border transfer of dangerous waste and preventing global warming, China will continue to make efforts and step up international cooperation to contribute to the protection of the global environment. He also spoke on Beijing's efforts to improve its environment in preparation for the 2008 Olympic Games. Vice Chairman of the CCICED Leonard M. Good briefed Li on the operation of the 2nd CCICED. He said that since the CCICED was founded a decade ago, both the overseas and the Chinese sides have made unswerving efforts to make the Council a success. He expressed thanks for the Chinese government's support for the operation of the 3rd CCICED. |
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