China increasingly reliant on imported natural resources

Beijing (CNS) – China's Energy Consumption per unit of GDP in 2010 was 2.2 times the world average, and China is now dependent on foreign providers of fossil fuels such as crude oil and the mineral resource iron ore for more than 50 percent of its consumption, confirmed the director of the National Development and Reform Commission Zhang Ping on December 28.

China's Energy Consumption per unit of GDP actually fell by 1.6 percent in the first quarter. There was also a 0.9 percent drop in ammonia nitrogen emissions, but oxynitride emissions increased considerably - by 7.2 percent - according to Zhang's statement to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress.

Zhang was quoted as saying that China's domestic demand in the first three quarters helped maintain economic growth at 101 percent, but environmental pollution is becoming progressively more severe, with some regions facing serious trouble as natural resources become exhausted.