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China Targeting 8% GDP Growth with 4% Cut in Energy Consumption for 2006

People’s Daily. China is targeting 8% economic growth this year and will take measures to keep the development “fast” and “steady,” according to Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao.

At the same time, China is striving to lower its energy consumption rate by 4% this year, according to the Premier. Energy consumption will become a new key index to guide economic and social development.

The projected growth rate is 1.9 percentage points lower than the actual growth in 2005, but is higher than the targeted annual growth of 7.5% for the 11th Five-Year Plan period (2006- 2010).

Wen made the projection while delivering the annual work report of the government to 2,927 deputies at the opening ceremony of the Fourth Session of the Tenth National People’s Congress, China’s top legislature, at the Great Hall of the People.

Last year, the government expected growth of 8%, but actual growth came in at 9.9%, according to Wang Xiaoguang, an economist with the Institute of Macro-economics of the State Development and Reform Commission.

China is determined to reduce its energy intensity—to reduce energy consumption per unit of gross domestic product (GDP) by 20% and the total volume of major pollutant discharges by 10% in the coming five years.

Necessitated by the country’s current conditions and long-term interests, these targets are designed to tackle the mounting pressure on resources and environment and provide a clear guide for policy making, according to Wen.

Though achieving them will be quite difficult, we have the confidence and determination to succeed.

— Premier Wen Jiabao

Comments

Harvey D

China cannot do that because we clearly established that: GDP Growth = Energy Consumption growth. If they do, that would make us look like lyers. That would not be good for our ego.

t

Like the U.S., China did not sign up to Kyoto. But what is remarkable is that China, while developing rapidly, is still a relatively poor country and could easily plead poverty or need for development to avoid any action on global warming. Despite that, they have committed themselves to a goal of reducing energy use, not ten years from now, but this year.

They may not reach their goal, but they have a much better chance than we do since we won't even set a goal.

One of our excuses to not ratify Kyoto is that it did not include China. What is our excuse now?

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