All countries need to promote the development of new industries to prepare for the coming boom in the green economy, Former French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin said on September 1.

Now global chairman of the Asia-Pacific CEO Association, Villepin is attending the World Emerging Industries Summit in Changchun, capital city of Jilin Province in northeast China.

He told China.org.cn that the global economy is over-using resources and needs to develop a green economy based on new energy sources, including solar, civilian nuclear energy and clean coal.

"I want to emphasize the importance of changing our views," he said.

Having traveled to China as French foreign minister in 2003, Villepin has made several return visits and has got to know the country well.

He said that in recent decades, China's northeastern provinces had carried out massive industrial restructuring after a long period of relying on state-owned heavy industry.

"But they know it’s necessary and it’s worth it," he said. "Jilin and Changchun know what the treasures of nature are, and that we need to preserve them through a new green growth model. They achieved great changes and great partnerships in the highest technologies."

China is the home to the world’s biggest coal chemical industry. From January to November 2009, the country produced 314 million tons of coke, up 8.2 percent year on year.

"There are lots of basic needs that can be fulfilled by extensive growth. But they will become ever smaller over time," Villepin said.

He stressed that a shift from a low-wage, export-oriented and resource-intensive economy – the dominant model in China for the past thirty years – to a high-wage, resource-saving economy will not be easily achieved.

"This is the main challenge, for China, as well as for the world," he told China.org.cn.

He said: "China is using a lot of coal for electricity, if you are going use clean coal, then it's going to be a major change for your country. I do believe that we have the solutions; we just need to find the best way to cooperate together."

Villepin praised the continuous efforts of the Chinese government since 2007 to shift to a new development model.

"But still, internal demand has not reached the level where it can become the engine of new development," he said.

"There's a long way to go both for China and other countries, but it’s a good beginning," he added.

(China.org.cn September 2, 2010)