Vice Premier Li Keqiang said on Monday it was necessary to further raise environmental protection consciousness among the public and step up efforts to build an energy-saving and environmentally-friendly society.

Governments at all levels should implement the policy of developing more resources while saving more; the priority was to save more energy, Li stressed while participating in activities marking the 18th annual publicity week on energy savings.

Accompanied by Beijing Party chief Liu Qi, Mayor Guo Jinlong and senior officials from central government departments, Li visited Beijing B.J. Electric Motor Co. Ltd. in the city's northeast and chaired an energy-saving work meeting.

Though the Chinese economy had maintained a steady and fast pace of growth, energy resources in the country were still insufficient and the environmental carrying capacity was low as the country had paid a relatively high environmental price for economic growth, the vice premier noted.

Prices for energy and other resources had continued to soar in recent years on the international market and the imbalance in China between supply and demand was becoming increasingly serious as the country's consumption of energy grew fast.

In order to ease restriction of energy on economic development, China needed not only to increase supply, but also to improve management of the demand side, Li stressed.

"We should make sustained efforts to save energy and resources, and cut energy consumption. This is also a major measure to reduce environmental pollution."

Li urged officials and the public to fully understand the utmost importance and urgency of saving energy and reducing emissions and implementing the Energy Conservation Law, which came into effect April 1, in an all-round way.

Everyone should act to save energy in accordance with the law, and the country should gradually improve policies that were conducive to saving energy, he said.

Li also asked officials nationwide to take all necessary measures, such as encouraging the use of power-saving equipment, to save more electricity as the country was to embrace the summer peak season.

Moreover, it was very necessary to reduce fuel consumption by vehicles and encourage the design, production and use of fuel-saving cars and economical types of cars and vehicles fuelled by new energy sources, he pointed out.

The country should promote activities such as "Save a drop of oil" and "Drive one day less every month" and persuade residents to use public transport as much as possible.

As Beijing was hosting the Olympic Games, Li said the capital should do more to save oil and energy to provide a cleaner environment and fresher air for citizens and visitors, he added.

During the national publicity week, which lasts from June 15 to 21, various parts of the country will sponsor activities to publicize the importance of energy savings.

(Xinhua News Agency June 17, 2008)