Developed countries should take the lead in reducing greenhouse gas emissions that are blamed for global warming and climate change, China said in a white paper issued on Wednesday.

Rich countries should spend at least 0.7 percent of their gross domestic product (GDP) helping developing nations address the climate change, a senior Chinese economic planner said when explaining the policy paper to the press.

"But till now, their spending is far below the level," Xie Zhenhua, vice director of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), said.

In the white paper titled "China's Policies and Actions for Addressing Climate Change", the government stated that the developed nations should provide financial support and transfer technologies to help the developing countries fight against global warming.

The developing countries, while developing their economies and fighting poverty, should actively adopt measures to adapt to climate change, reduce their emissions to the lowest degree and fulfill their duties in addressing climate change, according to the white paper.

Rich nations should take the major responsibility for climate change as their greenhouse gas emissions from 1950 to 2000 accounted for 77 percent of the world total, according to Xie. China's emissions accounted for 8 percent of the world total from 1904 to 2004.

"According to our data, China's current total emissions are almost as the same size as that of the United States," Xie told reporters. "But we should look at the issue fairly and from a historic view."

"The Chinese government pays high attention to the issue of climate change," Xie said.

Click here to see the full text of the white paper.

(Xinhua News Agency October 29, 2008)