Respected Vice Chairs, Members, Experts and Guests,

　　The Fifth AGM of CCICED Phase III is going to close today after over two-day hard work and concerted efforts of each representative. This meeting has obtained great success with many common understandings and fruitful achievements.

　　On the first day of the Fifth Annual General Meeting, Premier Wen Jiabao met with the International Members of CCICED and exchanged views with them on such issues as China's environmental situation, environmental protection objectives and policy measures as well as the promotion of global environmental protection. Premier Wen spoke highly of the work of CCICED and hoped that CCICED should continue its work for a long time to continue its valuable contribution to environmental protection cause of China. Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan attended the opening ceremony of the Fifth AGM of CCICED Phase III and made an important speech. In his speech, Vice Premier Zeng officially announced that the Chinese Government has approved the establishment of the Fourth Phase of CCICED and put forward hopes and suggestions on the activities of new phase of CCICED.

　　Centering on the theme of "Scientific Development towards a Well-off (Xiaokang) Society", the Meeting invited Mr. Cheng Siwei, Vice President of the Standing Committee of National People's Congress and Mr. Steiner, Vice Secretary General of UN and Executive Director of UNEP to make keynote speeches. It also invited Ms. Huguette Labelle, the Honorary Chancellor of University of Ottawa and Mr. Akasaka, Vice Secretary General of OECD to make special speeches. Their speeches are excellent adding glory to the Meeting. The Meeting listened to the work reports of the four CCICED Task Forces, namely the "Task Force on China's Environment and Development Review and Prospect", "Task Force on Economic Growth and the Environment", "Task Force on Environmental Governance Capacity" and "Task Force on Ecological Compensation Mechanism". In general presentation and discussions, representatives of the Meeting carried out extensive and in-depth discussions and spoke their minds focusing on the theme of this AGM, keynote speeches, work report of each Task Force as well as other issues in the field of environment and development. They put forward many very good comments and suggestions. Lead Experts and each Task Force have done lots of work and they presented some valuable Policy Recommendations based on in-depth research findings and real situation of China. After serious discussions at the Meeting and refinement, these policy recommendations have been further refined and submitted to each Member for discussion and approval this morning.

　　All these are my brief summary to relevant situation of the current AGM. Next I would like summarize the common understandings and important achievements of this Meeting.

　　First, speeding up the historic transformations has become our common understanding. The "Three Transformations" put forward by Premier Wen are strategic and guiding transformations for China to follow the path of scientific and sustainable development and will surely lead to high integration of economic development and environmental protection of China. They are also the transformations of environmental protection with historic significance. CCICED will fully play its role as a bridge and link between the Chinese Government and the international communities and communicate and promote to the world the historic transformations of China in terms of environmental protection.

　　Second, the continuation of CCICED has become our common understanding. As a high-level consultant organization for the Chinese Government, CCICED has made lots of fruitful work over the past 15 years and played an active and unique role in promoting the cause of environment and development of China with high reputation in the world. So it is necessary to maintain this organization. Meanwhile, China will strive for solving its environmental problems during the development process to satisfy the international communities.

　　Third, establishing and improving the mechanism conducive to environmental protection has become our common understanding. For example, we will set up appropriate pricing mechanism that fully reflects social value of resources and the environment and makes resource saving and environmental protection as the voluntary actions; we will implement strict punishment mechanism with which those violate environmental laws and damage ecological environment must pay due economic cost or even assume criminal responsibilities. In addition, we will establish an eco-compensation mechanism that adjusts the allocation and distribution of the environmental interests and economic interests of the stakeholders. In doing so, a mechanism with which people "are not willing to" and "dare not" to damage the environment will be developed.

　　Fourth, establishing comprehensive pollution prevention and control system has become a common understanding. There is no double in China to implement clean production and shift old production mode in production field. However, only the change of production mode is not enough as it is not adequate to meet the objective of sustainable economic growth. Therefore it is necessary to extend environmental protection from the field of production to that of circulation, distribution and consumption and from investment to foreign trade. We will actively promote the transformation of consumption mode and trade mode and gradually establish an all-round pollution prevention and control system.

　　In addition, the current AGM has got two major achievements: one is the adoption of the Policy Recommendations to the Chinese Government; the other is further identification of direction of the future development of CCICED.

　　Members and experts:

　　Attending this annual general meeting, I have improved the friendship with old friends of CCICED and have the honor to know a number of new friends. Your great erudition, wit and wisdom, frankness and scientific work style give me a deep impression. In the past 15 years, CCICED has a glorious and outstanding yesterday. It opens a window of the cause of China's environmental protection to the world and introduces the latest and state-of-art environmental ideas and management skills into China. Looking into future, CCICED will have a brilliant tomorrow and play a bigger role in promoting and accelerating the historic transformations of environmental protection work of China.

　　Before the closing of this AGM, on behalf of Mr. Zeng Peiyan, Vice Premier and Chairman of CCICED Phase III, I grant the award to each Chinese and International Member and Co-chair of Task Force to commend your great contributions to the cause of environment and development of China. Here, on behalf of SEPA and CCICED, I once again extend my heartfelt thanks to all of you. I hope that you continue your concern and support to the cause of China's environmental protection as before.

　　Next year CCICED Phase IV will hold its first Annual General Meeting. Beijing, China and I look forward to meeting new and old friends at the next AGM.

　　Thank you！