Chinese Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan Thursday encouraged specialists to actively submit suggestions and proposals for top leaders to make decisions on the nation's energy development.

Zeng attended and delivered a speech at the plenum of the energy expert advisory committee under the National Energy Leading Group, which was held Thursday.

He asked the specialists to make earnest research on major problems China is facing in its energy exploration and to try hard to seek an energy development path that conforms to China's characteristics.

According to Zeng, China's energy industry has made big strides since the country's opening up and reform, which has strongly supported the rapid, sustained growth of the national economy.

However, Zeng noted, China is experiencing accelerated industrialization and urbanization, challenged by unbalanced supply of and demand for energy, unreasonable energy structure and risks of ecological degradation in energy development. To tackle the problems, experts' opinions and proposals are needed.

Zeng stressed that energy research should adopt an international outlook and innovative thinking, focusing on energy conservation, energy structure, energy-related science and technology, energy security and international cooperation.

Global trends of energy development should be studied, and advanced technology and expertise from different countries should be used for reference, Zeng added.

The committee consists of 40 prestigious Chinese experts, providing services for the nation's policy-making through advancing suggestions and proposals on energy strategy and major problems in energy development. The committee has six branches, involving coal, power and nuclear energy, oil and gas, renewable energy, energy conservation and energy economy.

(Xinhua News Agency December 7, 2007)