BOAO, Hainan, April 22 (Xinhua) -- China, on its way of peaceful development, should promote technical innovation to
address key challenges, such as pinched power and resources supply, said representatives attending the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Friday.

   China witnessed fast economic growth over the past years, but this giant has consumed large amount of resources to sustain its development due to low-level of technology and know-how, said Zheng Bijian, Chairman of the China Reform Forum at a roundtable discussion here.

   Last year, the imported oil accounted for about 40 percent of China's total oil supply, raising widespread concern over whether China's fast growth will pose threat to the rest of the world.

   Lu Yongxiang, President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, held that China should increase its technology input to reduce the consumption of resources and blaze a new road of industrialization.

   The roundtable discussion is held as part of the forum to discuss how China could pursue development while reducing energy consumption and pollution.

   Though the topic was featured in previous BFA forums, this year, scientists are invited along with politicians and economists to discuss this issue.

   Practice has proved that innovation in the technology is the unceasing driving force propelling China's prosperity and peaceful development, said Zheng.  

   In northeast China's Heilongjian, Jilin and Liaoning provinces, a mixed fuel of ethanol and gasoline is used to power motor vehicles. This new fuel has covered 80 percent of the market share and last year alone, Jilin province sold nearly 800,000 tons of such fuels, greatly reducing the oil consumption.

   China's peaceful development, in the eyes of Jerome Monod, chief political adviser to French President Jacques Chirac, is different from the rise of many great nations, who pursue hawkish foreign policy.

   Monod is currently working on the innovation of political mechanism and has kept track of China's economic experimentation.

   "China's development is featured by participation in economic globalization, competition with others in the world market and recognition of a world system that is mutually beneficial to all. All that indeed would be the meaning of peace here," he said.

   China's import volume from neighboring countries may well demonstrate his point, said Zheng Bijian. Last year, China's
import from Japan grew by 27.3 percent, from ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) by 33.1 percent and from India by 80.6 percent.

   The cooperation among Asian countries does not exclude the interests of the United States and the European Union in Asia, said Zheng. China's import from EU grew by 28.8 percent, and from the United States up 31.9 percent in 2004, providing a vast market for the international community.

   Lu Yongxiang suggested establishing a science and technology sub-forum under the annual BFA. The sub-forum should discuss issues related to the regional scientific and technological cooperation and address basic issues such as energy, resources, and eco-environment. In this way, the most recent achievement in knowledge is shared among Asian community.  Enditem