Chinese Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan on Sunday called for more efforts in urban environmental protection construction.

Zeng, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks while visiting Beijing's "green community" as well attending a mayor summit marking the World Environment Day.

Environment protection and construction is a key task in building a harmonious socialist society, said Zeng, noting currently it is imminent to curb pollution in Chinese cities, where people should be provided with "clean water, refreshing air and sound environment".

China must speed up building resource-saving and environmental-friendly cities in a bid to improve environmental protection, and make scientific urban planning and adjust industry layouts, he noted.

City governments should allocate more fund in the infrastructure construction of environment, practice marketing in water recycling and waste disposal sectors, strictly control discharge quantities of major pollutants and introduce environmental-friendly living and consuming behaviors to the people, he said.

Curbing pollution and improving quality of environment will be a part of the evaluation of urban party officials, said Zeng, adding that governments ought to mobilize all circles of the society to work together in environmental protection.

In a visit to Fenghuiyuan Residential Compound, a national leading green community, Zeng said building green communities is of great significance. Every citizen in the community is committed to create a sound living environment and realize the harmony of human beings and nature.

On the Major Summit of Model Environmental Protection Cities, the State Environmental Protection Administration nominated six "National Environmental Protection Model City" and one "National Environmental Protection Model District". So far, 47 cities and three districts have been given the titles.

(Xinhua News Agency June 6, 2005)