China eyes legal, economic measures to cut pollution: top economic planner
4/6/2007 15:57
China is putting more emphasis on economic measures to save energy and
cut pollutants discharge, including gradual reform of the pricing system of the
resources products to reflect their true scarcity and impact on the environment,
a high-ranking official said in Beijing today.
"The Chinese government has
introduced lots of financial and tax incentives to promote the use of
energy-saving technologies and products," Ma Kai, minister in charge of the
National Development and Reform Commission, the top economic planning agency,
told a press conference.
The country will continue to use comprehensive
measures that compass economic and legal measures and necessary administrative
orders to conserve energy.
In this regard, China has enacted laws on
environmental protection and renewable energy.
As a major means, energy
efficiency and pollutant discharge reduction will be key factors in the
performance assessments of local officials at various levels.
Energy
efficiency and pollutant discharge reduction should be set as indices for
assessing economic and social development in all localities and the performance
of government and company leaders, the State Council said in a circular issued
yesterday.
They will receive a negative performance assessment if they fail
to reach goals for energy efficiency and pollutant discharge reduction
regardless of achievements in other fields, according to the document.
This
means the performance of officials will not be judged merely by the growth of
gross domestic product in all localities, Ma told
reporters.
Xinhua
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