China is committed to promoting the transformation of its transportation sector in a green and low-carbon way, aiming to contribute to the sustainable growth of the global transportation industry, Transport Minister Li Xiaopeng noted Thursday.
"Transportation is an engine of economic and social development as well as one of the major sectors that consume energy and emit greenhouse gases. The Chinese government has paid much attention to environmental protection, energy conservation and emission reduction in the sector," Li told a briefing at the International Transportation Forum 2017 Summit held in Leipzig, Germany.
Since 2012, China has ramped up efforts to construct an intensive and efficient modern transportation system through a series of strategies, plans and policies, and it has achieved remarkable outcomes, according to Li.
In 2015, carbon dioxide emissions per unit of the transport turnover of operating vehicles and ships in China fell by 15.9 percent and 20 percent, respectively, compared with 2005, said the minister.
The green and low-carbon transformation process will play a vital role in achieving sustainable growth for the world transportation sector, and it is the future direction for the industry, Li said.
He noted that China's Belt and Road initiative aims to advance sustainable transportation development in related countries and regions.
China is entering a phase in which its transportation facilities and capacity are improving and growing. But these developments are exerting pressure on the country's energy supplies, resources and environment, Shi Baolin, president of the China Academy of Transportation Sciences, said at the same meeting.
Shi said that "China would like to increase understanding and cooperation in the industry across the world and make joint efforts to drive sustainable growth."
