Madam. President,

I shall start by extending my congratulations, on behalf of the Chinese delegation, to the 14th General Conference of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization. I would also like to congratulate you and other members of the bureau on your election. I shall take this opportunity to thank Ambassador Ali Asghar Soltanieh of Iran for his great contribution as the President of the previous Conference.

Today’s world economy is troubled with bigger downward pressure, rising instability and uncertainty, serious slowdown of major economies, prominent sovereign debt issues of certain countries, volatility of international financial markets and commodities prices, mounting inflationary pressure in emerging market economies, and rising protectionism of all forms. Recovery of the world economy, which will be a long, difficult and complicated process, imposes serious challenges to the sustainable industrial development of all countries. It is against this backdrop that this Conference highlights the industrial sustainable development. Discussions on this will help us acquire a better understanding of the new changes and features of industrial development in the current context of world economy, feel the pulse of the trend of green industrial development, find rational solutions to the resource and environment challenges generated by fast economic and social development, and contribute to the sustained and stable growth of global green economy and green industries.

Madam. President,

As a champion of green industrial development, UNIDO has done a terrific job in promoting international communication and cooperation in environment and energy. China is appreciative of this and will continue to support UNIDO’s efforts in promoting industrial advance and industrial sustainable development of developing countries.

To achieve the goal of green industrial development, the Chinese government charts a new industrialization course featuring higher technology contents, greater economic benefits, lower resource consumption, less pollution to the environment, and better utilization of human capital. The Chinese industry registered in the past five years an average annual growth rate of 11.6% while energy intensity for industrial added value was brought down by 26%. This year is the initial year of the 12th Five-Year Plan. As clearly outlined in the Plan, building a resource-conserving and environment-friendly society is a main way to speed up transformation of economic growth pattern, and energy intensity and carbon dioxide emission intensity will be reduced by 16% and 17% respectively while total pollutant emission reduced by a margin between 8% and 10% in the five years between 2011 and 2015, and the share of non-fossil fuels in primary energy consumption will be increased from 8.3% to 11.4% over the same period of time. To this end, efforts will be made in the following aspects.

First, we will accelerate the industrialization process, adjust industrial structure, optimize industrial layout, guide inter-regional industrial migration, and improve the structure of technology and products to realize coordinated development.

Second, we will commit to green industrial development, and transform the extensive economic growth based on expansion of scales and excessive consumption of energy and resources into sustainable development focusing on efficiency, quality and benefit.

Third, we will promote energy conservation and reduce emission, increase the share of renewables in energy mix, encourage enterprises to advance their energy-saving technologies for clean production, and improve energy efficiency of industrial sectors.

As known to all, China remains a developing country encountered with problems of unbalanced, uncoordinated and unsustainable development. Its level of industrial development remains low and therefore it faces challenges of shortages of technology and financial resources in the process of promoting green industries. China needs to import advanced technologies and to learn international best practice. We are ready to work closely with UNIDO and other countries to develop green industries as a contribution to the global efforts in tackling climate change and enabling sustainable development.
Madam. President,

China appreciates the effective work of UNIDO in supporting sustainable development of industries in developing countries through South-South cooperation.

As a developing country, China has always been supporting and engaging in South-South Cooperation while striving for its own economic and social development. Observing the principles of equality, mutual benefit and common development, the Chinese government has been doing its best to provide assistance for other developing countries in the past six decades through multiple ways such as engineering projects construction, aid in kind, technical cooperation, and human resource development. China has honored its international obligations with real actions. In the future, China will continue to commit to the global cause of poverty reduction and development.

Collaboration between China and UNIDO has been focused on a large number of South-South Cooperation activities in human resource field in the past two years. The two sides organized 6 seminars and workshops for developing countries on energy conservation and emission reduction, investment promotion and applicable solar-energy technology. Nearly 200 participants from over 50 developing countries attended these seminars and workshops. We are willing to step up cooperation with UNIDO in organizing trilateral training activities to share China’s achievements and experiences with other developing countries. An exhibition is hosted by China at this Conference to demonstrate China’s engagement in South-South Cooperation and experiences learned. You are all welcomed to visit the exhibition.

Madam. President,

During the second term of Dr. Yumkella as the Director General, UNIDO has done fruitful work in the three priority fields (poverty reduction through productive activities, trade capacity building, environment and energy) with actual volume of projects services delivered and funds mobilized hitting new record high. Its work is widely supported and commended by the international community. China congratulates UNIDO for being deemed again as the best performing implementing agency of the Montreal Protocol. Recently, with the close cooperation among member countries, the informal working group on the future has begun its work. It is my belief that through active, pragmatic and constructive discussions, the working group can achieve good results and can provide guidance and reference for the long-term stable development of UNIDO.
The next few years are a critical period for attaining the MDGs. As an important United Nations agency committed to industrial development, UNIDO can do a lot in contributing to the MDGs and promoting global industrial sustainable development. It is the hope of China that UNIDO can utilize mobilized fund to the maximum extent and in an effective way, continue to enhance its capability of project implementation, and provide better, tailored services for its members. In doing so, UNIDO will be able to develop itself to be a more important “partner for prosperity” and contribute more to the development of the global development agenda.

At last, I wish the Conference a great success.

Thank you, Madam. President.