Mr. President, Friends and comrades,

　　During the meeting, members of the Council have freely discussed on the present situation of environment and development in China, the interim reports of the six expert working groups and other questions of common concern and put forward many brilliant opinions, Particularly, foreign members of the Council have come all the way to China to discuss with us about China's undertakings in environment and development. This high sense of responsibility and enthusiasm in the international community is very estimable and touching indeed.

　　It is known to all that a new upsurge of reform and opening-up is now prevailing across the country. At the recently closed session of the 8th National People's Congress, new strategic tasks of grasping the opportunity and speeding up the reform and opening-up had been forwarded. This has brought forth new challenges and opportunities for China's environmental protection undertakings. Acceleration of the reform and opening-up is pounding at the environment in both strength and volume. China is following the policy of reform and opening-up and becoming an active member of the world community. Similarly, in the field of environment and development we should also link ourselves with the international "tracks" without exception. We should learn from the rich and successful experience expounded by members of the Council.

　　China is at present in the process of changing from the "tracks" of a planned economy to those of a socialist market economy. The importance of legality is a prominent point. The market economy is a legality economy. Without law, it is not posit le to maintain a normal market order, to have fair competition and rational trams actions bench the failure in emancipating forces of production and in raising the living standard of the people. Legal problems in environmental affairs like legal problems in economic affairs must not be neglected. In the field of environment we have already formulated a fairly complete set of policies and enacted some laws and decrees. What is the most important thing is to implement these laws and decrees in the future. Up to now, observation of laws and decrees in the field of environment in China is still not satisfactory, It is an urgent task for us to learn from useful experience of other countries in environmental legislation, and to be strict in observing and enforcing the laws and decrees and to punish law-breakers according to law.

　　We have just started to build a socialist market economy. As the mechanism of socialist market economy gradually come into force, legislative work for environment al affairs will also be improved in steps, In the second half of this year, the Chinese parliament and the departments concerned the State Council will join force s in carrying out a general inspection on observation of environmental laws, which is one of the specific measures to improve the legal system.

　　We have already had the meeting for three days now. Although, it is not long the highly efficient work of foreign members of the Council has left us a very deep impression.

　　We will make a serious study on various proposals made at the meeting and work to push for a coordinated development of environment and economy in China.

　　Once again. I wish to thank foreign members of the Council for their enthusiasm and sincerity.

　　Thank you, Mr. President.