Development of new energy should be established as an important strategy for China to address energy shortage and environmental woes, Zhang Guobao, head of the National Energy Administration, said on Saturday.

To develop new sources of energy has become an important strategy for many countries to fight for a dominance in the combat against climate change, and China should closely follow global developments in this area, beef up R&D of new energy technologies, and invest more in the industry, said Zhang.

"If we fail to address the development of new energy from a higher horizon, we will regret to find ourselves falling behind others within 10 years," said Zhang, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

Zhang's advocation is echoed by Ouyang Minggao, who underlined the use of new-energy vehicles at the same plenary meeting of the top political advisory body.

"The promotion of energy-efficient and new-energy vehicles is a necessary step in the country's energy development and in the revival of the auto industry," said Ouyang, a Tsinghua University professor.

In China, coal makes up about 70 percent of its total energy consumption, 40 percentage points higher than the world average.

The country is seeking the development of other energy sources than coal to shift its heavy reliance on coal and reduce pollution.

Premier Wen Jiabao said in the government work report delivered to lawmakers Thursday that the country will "energetically develop a circular economy and clean energy."

The country would promote R&D on technologies in new energy sources and develop clean energy such as nuclear, wind, and solar power this year, according to Wen's report.

Yang Qi, honorary president of the Nuclear Power Institute of China and a CPPCC National Committee member, urged the country to develop new technologies to conserve energy and reduce emissions.

He said the country is stressed by targets to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions, as the country is expected to initiate more projects under the huge 4-trillion-yuan stimulus plan.

Premier Wen said on Thursday the country's energy consumption per unit of GDP fell by 4.59 percent from the previous year, chemical oxygen demand down by 4.42 percent, and sulfur dioxide emissions down by 5.95 percent.

Over the past three years, total energy consumption per unit of GDP dropped by 10.08 percent, chemical oxygen demand down by 6.61 percent, and sulfur dioxide emissions down by 8.95 percent, according to the Premier.

China aims to cut energy consumption for every 10,000 yuan (US$1,298) of GDP by 20 percent from 2006 to 2010, with emissions to drop 10 percent.

(Xinhua News Agency March 7, 2009)