Chinese Vice Minister of Commerce Yi Xiaozhun, China's representative to the 13th session of the UNIDO General Conference, said in Vienna on Monday that China considers green industry the direction of economic development in the future.

At the 13th session of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) General Conference, Yi pointed out that "low-carbon economy, green industries, energy saving and new energy are where future economic growth will come from."

Therefore, countries need to align their near-term economic priorities with long-term economic prospects. "While enabling economic recovery, we should optimize the energy mix, promote industrial upgrading and develop green economies," he said.

In his speech, Yi also introduced the measures China has taken in this area. In response to the serious impact of the global financial crisis and growing domestic energy and environmental constraints, the Chinese government has adopted such measures as maintaining growth, expanding domestic demand and readjusting economic structure.

He said: "The 'readjusting economic structure' part of the strategy aims to transform China's mode of industrial growth, improve the industrial structure and follow the road of green industrial development."

"The Chinese government remains committed to the basic state policy of resources conservation and environmental protection and to the national strategy of realizing sustainable growth," he stressed.

The Chinese government therefore decided that "by 2020 it would reduce per unit GDP CO2 emission by 40 percent to 45 percent from the level of 2005, which as a binding target will be incorporated into China's medium and long-term plan for socioeconomic development."