The Minister of the State Environmental Protection Administration Zhou Shengxian met with Austrian Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Conservation Mr. Josef Pr?ll at the SEPA office on November 16. The two exchanged views on environmental issues of common concern and on strengthening cooperation over environmental protection industries.

(Photo Source: Jia Jiheng China Environment News)

Minister Zhou noted that during the fast economic and social development process, China is faced with complicated and acute environmental problems essentially demonstrated as over-excessive resource and environment cost for economic growth. In a bid to fundamentally alter the severe environmental situation, the Chinese government made major adjustment to the guiding theory of environmental protection by putting forward the idea of accelerating the fulfillment of environmental historic transformation, optimization of economic growth by environmental protection and making strategic deployment on strengthening various environmental protection works based on the summation of past experience and lessons as well as borrowing advanced concepts. Starting from this year, the Chinese government has set up the National Energy Conservation and Emission Reduction Work Leading Group headed by Premier Wen Jiabao of the State Council and released the Comprehensive Work Plan on Energy Conservation and Emission Reduction. Through economic restructuring and the change of growth pattern, it strives to realize the pollution discharge reduction targets set out in the 11th "Five-Year" Plan. In the first three quarters of this year, the total discharge volume of the two major pollutants nationwide has seen a "double fall" for the first time nationwide, demonstrating a turning point. Such good news not only fully illustrates the practicality and effectiveness of the environmental protection policies and measures taken by the Chinese government, but also further consolidates our resolution and confidence in continuing the advancement of pollution treatment and environmental quality betterment.

Minister Zhou indicated that with the ever-growing of the environmental protection cause of China, the environmental protection industries of China are to embrace a wider market. Since Austria boasts advanced concepts and full-fledged technologies in the field of environmental protection, we hope that more Austrian environmental protection enterprises can come to China to participate in the competition with their Chinese counterparts in the environmental protection industrial market to further carry out cooperation of mutually benefits and win-win results.

Mr. Josef Pr?ll lauded the positive progress achieved in the environmental protection undertaking in China and hoped that the two sides can communicate closely, reinforce cooperation and jointly promote the progress of the environmental protection cause.