A draft of China's medium- and long-term energy development program, covering the period from 2004 to 2020, was approved in principle by the State Council at its executive meeting Wednesday.

In a release issued after the meeting, chaired by Premier Wen Jiabao, the State Council said that to solve China's energy problem, efforts must be made in the following areas:

Make energy conservation the top priority. Energy conservation systems and measures should be carried out comprehensively and strictly to substantially improve the efficiency of energy utilization.

Adjust and optimize the energy structure. Pursue an energy development strategy with coal forming the mainstay and electricity the center of the energy structure, while promoting comprehensive development of oil, gas and new forms of energy.

Work for a rational geographic distribution of energy development projects that takes into account the needs of all areas, and the factors of production, transport and consumption. Energy and communication projects should develop in a coordinated way.

Fully tap both domestic and overseas resources and markets. While making domestic energy exploration, exploitation and construction projects the basis, China should also actively participate in energy resource co-operation and development projects around the world.

Rely on scientific and technological advances and innovations. Advanced technology should be adopted and scientific management should be beefed up.

Enhance environmental protection and strive to reduce the impact of energy production and consumption on the environment.

Attach a high degree of importance to energy security. The energy supply should be diversified, construction of oil reserves should be accelerated and the energy security pre-warning and rapid response mechanism should be improved.

Institute safeguard measures for energy development. Policies regarding energy resources and energy development should be improved, the market mechanism should be brought into full play and input in energy issues increased.

To fundamentally solve the energy problem, it is imperative to firmly adopt and earnestly carry out the scientific viewpoint of development, the State Council concluded. The mode of economic growth should be transformed and a new road to industrialization taken.

Efforts should be made to foster an energy conservation-minded economy and society, the State Council said.

(Xinhua News Agency July 1, 2004)