Zee Media Bureau
Beijing: To combat air pollution which has become a major problem in East Asia; China, Japan and South Korea have joined hands together. This step is to boost sustainable development for greater ecological improvement.
Representatives from the three countries said that they will collaborate together to boost sustainable development at the end of a two-day summit in Xianghe.
Wang Chunzheng, vice chairman of the China Centre for International Economic Exchanges, said that the northeastern Asian nations of China, Japan and South Korea share common benefits as well as common responsibilities in joint air pollution control, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
Wang also pointed out that Japan and South Korea have advanced technologies and experience in energy saving, environmental protection and air pollution treatment. He added the three nations have great potential for cooperation in the environmental protection industry as the Chinese leadership has vowed greater efforts for ecological improvement.
Japanese Ambassador to China Masato Kitera said that environmental issues including climate change, as well as air, water and soil pollution, are shaking the foundations for human life, a situation which requires all nations to join hands in seeking solutions.
Kitera said the pollution is a common challenge to East Asia and that cooperation between China, Japan and South Korea is essential.
Cheong Young Rok, minister of economic affairs at the South Korean embassy in Beijing, said that the East Asian nations should learn from each other and build a mechanism for smog mitigation. He called on these countries to use environmental pollution as a spur to boost the green industry and create new job opportunities.
