Distinguished members,

　　Dear guests,

　　Ladies and Gentlemen，

　　I am very glad to meet with you in Beijing again to discuss the important issue of environment and development. First of all, please allow me, on behalf of Chinese government and in my own name, to express warm welcome to the friends coming fro m far away. 

　　This meeting is the last one convened by CCICED in this century. The last five years is the period that China implements its ninth Five-Year Plan. In the complicated situation in and abroad, we have overcome various difficulties. The national economy keeps on developing rapidly in a healthy way. The annual increase of GDP exceeds 8% and the economic benefits have been improved significantly. In the mean time, great progress has been made in environmental protection. The input of ecological construction and environmental protection has been strengthened, with the investment increased by 1. 75 times compared with that in the eighth Five-Year Pl an period. The plan of environmental protection has been basically completed; the total pollutant discharge has reduced by 15% than that in the end of the eighth Five-Year Plan period; the trend of environmental pollution degradation has slow ed down and the environmental quality in some cities and areas have been improve d. Ecological construction and conservation has been enhanced through the protect ion of natural forest, construction of Three-North Shelter-belt as well as restoring the cultivated land back into forest and grasslands. 

　　At this moment before the new century, we are formulating new development programmes. The coming five to ten years are the key period for the economy and social development of China. The fifth Plenary Session of the Fifteenth Central Committee passed the Recommendations of the Central Committee of the Communist Party on Formulating Tenth Five-Year Plan of National Economy and Social Development which has put forth the targets and tasks of social economic development and decided that the development is the key issue; the structure adjustment is regarded as the major direction; the reform and opening-up and science and technology progress are regarded as the drives; the guidance policy is to promote the living standards of the people. While speeding up the economic development, we should pay high attention to ecological construction and environmental protection so as to achieve sustainable development. 

　　The development in the west is one of the important strategies for the new century, which is of great significance to the coordinated development of the east and west parts, the unity of the people, social stability and modern construction. The development in the west should follow scientific patterns and economic patterns. We should learn from the experiences and lessons in and abroad so as to explore a sustainable development way that coordinates the economic benefits.