Chinese President Hu Jintao said in Sydney Thursday that the Chinese government attaches great importance to sustainable development and will follow the path of a new type of industrialization.

He made the pledge in a speech delivered at the business summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum which opened Thursday in Australia's largest city of Sydney.

Hu is on a state visit to Australia and will attend the 15th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.

China calls for following the scientific thinking on development that puts people in the first place and promotes comprehensive, balanced and sustainable development, Hu told the gathering of APEC business leaders.

China is working hard to achieve sound and fast socio-economic development, and will continue to follow the path of a new type of industrialization that is science and technology-driven, cost-effective and resource-efficient, causes less pollution to the environment and taps the full potentials of human resources, the Chinese president said.

"We will speed up readjusting the economic structure and changing the pattern of economic development. We will quicken the pace of developing a circular economy and building a resource-efficient and environment- friendly society," he added.

China will ensure that production and consumption meet the requirement of sustainable development, and is working to promote the sustainability of the eco-system and socio-economic system to advance comprehensive economic and social progress and all-round development of the people, he said.

The two-day APEC business summit, with the theme of "strengthening our community, building a sustainable future," will focus on trade, market, structural issues, energy, clean development, climate change and education.

(Xinhua News Agency September 7, 2007)