China Has Done Its Part on Fighting Climate Change

The past decade has seen China achieve remarkable results in cutting greenhouse gas emissions and dutifully shouldering its responsibilities in the global fight against climate change.

According to a government white paper released Tuesday, China has accomplished the energy conservation goals listed in its 11th Five-Year Plan covering 2006-2010.

China's energy consumption per unit of the GDP dropped 19.1 percent from that of 2005 accumulatively, equivalent to a reduction of 1.46 billion tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

The numbers testify to China's tremendous efforts in curbing carbon emissions and its unquestionable contributions to the world at large.

The Foreign Ministry says China is the world's fastest country in developing new energy, has the largest size of afforestation, and has achieved the biggest reduction in carbon emissions.

In a bid to promote public awareness and stimulate concrete actions, China said it will "actively respond to climate change" in the 12th Five-Year Plan for 2011-2015. That's by cutting greenhouse gas emissions and afforestation, among other things, marking the first time that climate change has appeared in China's national Five-Year Plan.

The remarkable achievements are backed up by a national understanding of the necessity to balance economic and environmental priorities.

Addressing climate change is viewed by the Chinese government as a commitment to fulfill not only China's international obligations, but also its domestic need for sustainable development.

With its domestic economy expanding at some 10 percent every year, China has nevertheless been facing rising environmental costs.