Li urges joint effort on climate change

China and France should work together to promote green industries in order to tackle climate change, Premier Li Keqiang said on Tuesday.

Li made the comments in an address to the China-French Climate and Green Economy Forum in Beijing, which was also attended by visiting French President Francois Hollande.

"Cooperation between China and France on dealing with climate change shows that not only have the two powers common responsibility for major problems concerning humanity's destiny, but also that Sino-French relations are among the most advanced that China has with Western powers," Li said.

China highly appreciates the efforts France has made in dealing with climate change, the premier said.

It is also willing to collaborate with France to help the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference "achieve an agreement that is comprehensive, balanced and powerful", Li said.

The conference is being held in Paris from Nov 30 to Dec 11. The Chinese economy's slowdown is partly due to the country strengthening adjustment of its economic structure and adopting the stricter standards on environmental protection, Li said.

"It's a tough process of structural transformation and changing the economy's driving forces, but we must continue down this path," he said.

China must find new growth points for its economy, and green and environmentally friendly industries have great potential for becoming one of these points, the premier said.

He encouraged Chinese and French companies to cooperate and tap into the Chinese market by joining the nation's industrialization and urbanization process, which is becoming more environmentally friendly and saving more energy. These companies should also work together to explore third-party markets for developing green industries.

Dealing with climate change imposes pain and pressure on developing countries in the short term, "but in return, we will get sustained and healthy development in the future," Li said.

Hollande said at the forum that through his visit to China he wants to send a message that dealing with climate change is an opportunity to develop the green economy, which will bring various forms of new growth and new investments.

When meeting with Hollande after the forum, Li said China wants to enhance cooperation with the international community, including France, to deal with climate change issues. He said China and France should make full use of Sino-French joint funds and implement projects in the environmental protection industry.