China would like to work with other countries to safeguard world energy security and stability, senior Chinese officials said on Thursday.

 

"China would like to step up dialogue and cooperation with other countries in the energy sector to safeguard world energy security and stability," Chinese Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan said in a meeting with foreign attendees to an energy seminar.

 

The three-day seminar "Energy Security: China and the world" was attended by officials, experts and businessmen from 17 countries.

 

The Chinese government has always paid great attention to energy issues and kept pursuing sustainable development, Zeng said.

 

China will stress energy efficiency and cut energy consumption, to lower the per unit GDP energy consumption by about 20 percent in 2010 from the level of 2005, he said.

 

Chinese Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan also met with the attendees, and he reaffirmed China's stance on cooperation with other countries in the energy field.

 

"I hope the seminar will play a positive role in promoting energy cooperation between China and other countries," said Cao, who is also State Councilor.

 

Hailing the seminar, former Australian Prime Minister Robert Hawke, one of the attendees, said that he appreciated China's efforts to enhance energy cooperation with other countries.

 

Hawke said he hoped this mutually-beneficial energy cooperation would move ahead.

 

The seminar was co-sponsored by China Institute for International Strategic Studies and Michael Eric Bosman Hotung Foundation.

 

(Xinhua News Agency May 26, 2006)