The Chinese government is to impose tariffs on exports of high-polluting, energy-consuming and resource-intensive products from Jan. 1 next year.

They include stainless steel ingots, preliminary processed tungsten, manganese, molybdenum and chrome, said the Ministry of Finance on Tuesday.

China is running short of natural resources, making it difficult to fuel the high economic growth. The government has taken a slew of measures to prevent low value-added resource-intensive products from going abroad.

The government would maintain export tariffs on coal, crude oil and stone next year, according to the ministry.

The ministry also said Tuesday China would continue to lower import tariff under its WTO commitments next year.

Forty-four products including strawberries will enjoy lower tariffs on entering Chinese market.

China will see its average import tariff level drop by 0.1 percentage points to 9.8 percent next year, according to the ministry.

(Xinhua News Agency December 27, 2006)