Distinguished members, guests, ladies and gentlemen,

　　With the efforts of all the participants, the 3rd meeting of the Second Phase of CCICED has finalized all its agenda and is to conclude. 

　　During the meeting, vice premier Wen Jiabao has made the important speech on behalf of the Chinese government. We have listened to the keynote speeches by Mr. Mauris Strong and Zhen Xinli from the State Planning and Development Commission, and we have also conducted a general discussion on the problems which China should pay high attention to while formulating its Tenth Fiveyear Plan. We have reviewed the work report by the CCICED Secretariat, reviewed the reports by the 9 working groups and task force, and we have also listened to the planning concept for the Tenth Fiveyear plan on agriculture, power development and environmental protection respectively by the Ministry of Agriculture, State Power General Corporation and the State Environmental Protection Administration. We have also been briefed on the integrated decisionmaking and projects by Jiangsu and Jilin Provinces, Inner Mongolia and Shanghai; and we have also unanimously endorsed the recommendations by the CCICED to the Chinese government. It has been a warm and dynamic meeting and everybody has fully expressed his views and put forward advice on China's environment and development. This has made this meeting a great success. Entrusted by Chairman Wen Jiabao, I would like, on behalf of the meeting bureau, to express our sincere thanks to each member and guest.

　　In the afternoon yesterday, Premier Zhu Rongji received all the attending members and chairs of the working groups, and after hearing the briefing by Vicechair Labelle and the other four participants, he welcomed the suggestions by us. Premier Zhu also fully affirmed the effort made by the council, and he is looking forward to each member continuing their efforts to make more contributions to this very enterprise.

　　Reviewing the past, CCICED focused its attention on the research in the macro policies and it was very fruitful and effective. CCICED has made some adjustment to that, and requested that research into the macro policy be combined with the specific policies. These policy suggestions for the Chinese government should then be translated and put forward by the members into actual actions. Thus they will be transformed into the operational policy systems and specific projects for purpose of demonstration in certain regions. We feel heartened to see that since the last meeting, each working group and task force has make efforts towards this goal. More attention on research in the actual policies and demonstration projects, has proven to be effective. For example, Demonstration Policy Research on the Integrated Decisionmaking on Environment and Development in Jiangsu Province, Energy Structure Perfection, Energy Efficiency Improvement and Greenhouse Gas Mitigation in Shanghai, Demonstration projects on Utilization of Biomass Energy in Jilin Province, Rehabilitation of Grass Vegetation in Inner Mongolia, Capital Ecosphere program, Demonstration projects on extension of Cleaner Production in Taiyuan City and the research on transportation, trade and environment, and so on. Based on the demonstration research, each working group has drawn upon experience and proposed many a policy suggestion which is operational and targetgeared. I am convinced that until the 4th meeting of CCICED next year, there will be more progress in the policy demonstration and project demonstration research by more working groups.

　　CCICED has been attaching great importance to putting forward policy suggestions to the Chinese government, which is also a concrete manifestation of the work of this council. Since its founding, CCICED has proposed numerous suggestions which have been highly valued and some of them have been or will be enforced. The work of CCICED has a more and more important impact on the decisionmaking by the Chinese government in the field of environment and development.

　　Presently, the Chinese government is engaged in formulating The Tenth Fiveyear Plan for National Economy and Social Development and Longterm Target into the Year of 2015. Tenth Fiveyear Plan period will be the crucial time for China to build up a primarily comprehensive socialist market economy, and also a time of fresh opportunity and challenge posed for China's environment and development.

　　As such, CCICED places high attention on the formulation of Tenth Fiveyear Plan. Prior to the convening of this meeting, most of the council members made a careful research and study of the Plan. CCICED has integrated the valuable suggestions proposed by the members, and brought about a bulk of detailed suggestions for China to formulate the plan. CCICED has also put forward an array of issues deserving high attention to the Chinese government in the field of environment and development. Some examples are: integrated decisionmaking on environment and development, improving the energy structure and energy efficiency, developing the sustainable agriculture, increasing the environmental protection input, paying attention to the economic policies, trade, transportation and biodiversity, etc. These suggestions reflected all your wisdom and pains. Based on the "Suggestion"(draft), the suggestions and the written material discussed in the meeting, with the supplementation of the focal points emphasized to Premier Zhu, have been formulated into a official document and reported to the State Council and the relevant departments by the two secretariats.　During the Ninth Five-year Plan, China still faces the severe test on environment and development. By the early next century, basically China will change the situation of worsening ecological environment and bring a salient improvement in the urban and rural environment. As a high-level consultative organ for the Chinese government in the field of environment and development, CCICED will not only continue the task of offering suggestions for the formulation of the Tenth FiveYear Plan, but also will help China attain the goals identified in the Tenth FiveYear Plan. At the same time, CCICED should also continue to play the role of bridge in the cooperation with the other countries in the world.

　　Members, ladies and gentlemen, The progress that CCICED has so far achieved is very encouraging. We are grateful to each of you for your wisdom, experience and creativity contributed to this meeting as well as the work in the past years. In the history of China's environment and development, CCICED has carved a heavy and broad stroke. In the moment of ushering in the new century, let us renew our efforts for achieving our common future, taking the road of sustainable development.

　　Now, I would also like to announce an achievement of the presidium meeting made in the evening of October 18. After the discussion during the presidium meeting, the 4th meeting of the Second Phase of CCICED is to be held in Beijing from 31 October to 4 November. Before the convening of the meeting, I hope all the members and the experts will go to visit Dalian City. Hopefully you will all put this field trip on your schedule next year. 

　　At last, I would like to express my sincere thanks to all friends and colleagues who contributed to the great success of the meeting, especially, the Secretariat of the council and the Canadian secretariat.

　　Thank you all. 