Vice Premier Li Keqiang has stressed that China will pay increasing attention to the improvement of its citizens' welfare as its economy becomes stronger.

As Chinas national strength improves and its economy grows, the country would pay increasing attention to safeguarding and improving people's standards of living, Li said in a speech delivered on Wednesday at the 2010 annual general meeting of the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development.

China would accelerate the speed of transforming its economic development pattern and pursue a low-cost and sustainable development path featuring low carbon emissions and seeking improved economic returns, according to the full text of Li's speech, which was released on Friday.

Further, China will boost green development, embrace low-carbon development ideals and continue its efforts to save natural resources and protect the environment.

He said China would promote development of emerging industries of strategic importance, hi-tech industries and modern service industries, conduct technological innovations on traditional industries and continue efforts in eliminating backward production capacities to maintain a sustainable development.

Moreover, China will build more infrastructure in sewage treatment, build clean energy facilities, and concentrate on solving serious environmental problems that affect people's lives, Li said.

Lastly, to address global climate change challenges, Li called on the international community to join hands under the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities" and on the basis of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol.

(Xinhua News Agency November 13, 2010)