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World Bank Expresses Concern Over China's Environmental Problems
Beijing (AFP) Oct 13, 2005 World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz expressed concern Thursday over China's environmental problems, but praised Beijing's poverty alleviation efforts on his first trip here as bank chief. "China is the world's second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases and contains 20 of the 30 most air-polluted cities in the world," Wolfowitz said in a statement issued by the bank. "There are also pressing issues relating to water and energy usage that I hope to understand better from this visit." Wolfowitz was speaking from the northwestern Chinese city of Lanzhou, where he arrived on Wednesday for a visit that will include the financial meeting of the G-20 group of developing nations near Beijing over the weekend. China is a major borrower from the World Bank, but in recent years has been increasingly transforming itself from a borrower to a donor, Wolfowitz said. "As its role changes, so its relationship with the Bank will change," he added. However, he noted that "the Chinese leadership has identified a number of areas of imbalance in the country, including the gap between urban and rural incomes and the damage done to the environment in recent years." "China recognizes that stability depends on correcting these imbalances and a number of others, and we certainly would like to do what we can to support that effort," said Wolfowitz, who was once posted in China as a US State Department official. Wolfowitz, as a former Pentagon official, has expressed caution over China's rise as a global power. However, he praised China's efforts at poverty alleviation during its economic development drive and pledged continued World Bank support. "Since 1980, China accounted for 75 percent of poverty reduction in the developing world," he said. "I want to understand more about what the Bank can do to assist China in addressing the still large challenges of poverty in the country." Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links SpaceDaily Search SpaceDaily Subscribe To SpaceDaily Express China News from SinoDaily.com
China Wants To Expand Sino-US Military Relations
Beijing (AFP) Jan 10, 2006China is ready to expand its military relations with the United States, Chinese Defense Minister Cao Gangchuan said on Tuesday. |
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