MEP Minister Zhou Shengxian met with a visiting delegation led by Governor of California, Jerry Brown, in Beijing on April 10. They exchanged views on issues of common concern and signed an Agreement on Strengthening Cooperation on Prevention and Control of Air Pollution between Ministry of Environmental Protection of People’s Republic of China and State of California of United States of America.
Zhou first welcomed the delegation on behalf of MEP. He said the US is one of the most advanced countries in the world and China is the largest developing country. The two countries have encountered common environmental problems in the course of economic development. California leads the US as well as the world in air pollution control in terms of both experience and technology and also provides China with a good opportunity to learn from it.
Zhou said the 18th National Congress of the CPC and the National NPC and CPPCC sessions held recently identified that we should guide environmental work with the concept of ecological civilization in the new era and clarified three problems. First, we will solve difficult problems by dealing with the relationship between economic development and environmental protection correctly. Second, we will focus on central tasks and find solutions to prominent environmental problems affecting scientific development and public health. Third, we will address hot issues by enhancing air and water pollution control, particularly control of pollution from PM2.5. We will take the following measures to control air pollution, such as optimizing industrial structure, establishing stricter environmental access, improving the system on total pollution control, deepening air pollution control in key regions and strengthening control of vehicle pollution.
Jerry Brown thanked Zhou for his welcome and gave a brief introduction of California’s history and current situation of air pollution control. He expressed willingness to strengthen cooperation and exchanges with China on environmental protection and share their experience and technologies.
(Source:MEP,http://english.mep.gov.cn/News_service/Photo/201304/t20130411_250647.htm)
