China has to face up to its national conditions when it comes to energy supply, because China is among the world's few countries mainly depending on coal for energy. Developed countries have mainly depended on oil and natural gas.

In 2009, the consumption of coal, petroleum and natural gas in China respectively accounted for 69.6 percent, 19.2 percent and 3.8 percent of the country's total energy consumption.

In contrast, oil and gas consumption in the United States stood at 38.4 percent and 26.2 percent, respectively, 19.2 and 22.4 percentage points higher than the figures in China. In total, U.S. oil and gas consumption accounted for 64.6 percent of its energy consumption mix, 41.6 percentage points higher compared with 23 percent in China.

Even though it is not a producer of oil and gas, Japan is a large consumer of them, consuming 43.7 percent oil and 16.6 percent gas in 2009, 24.5 percentage points and 12.8 percentage points higher than in China. In total, Japan's oil and gas accounted for 60.3 percent of its energy consumption mix, 37.3 percentage points higher than China.

In 2009, China's overall energy consumption totaled 3.1 billion tons of coal equivalent, while its total energy production hit 2.8 billion tons. China's dependence on foreign energy was merely 9.67 percent compared with 26.76 percent in the United States and 32.06 percent among OECD members. Based on its energy composition features, China has solved its own energy demands and withstood greater environmental pressure. By doing so, China has actually contributed to the world's energy security.

As the economy grows, China's energy consumption will rise as well. What is your opinion in this regard?

As the most populous developing country, China is doing nothing wrong by increasing energy consumption—whether for economic development or for the improvement of people's living conditions.

In fact, China has always held a serious attitude with regard to rapidly rising consumption and regarded it as a challenge to its economic and social progress. China has tried to satisfy its domestic energy demand by making use of its domestic energy supply. Moreover, the country is making efforts to conserve energy and cut emissions, with an aim to improve its energy consumption structure and efficiency. China has encouraged the economic utilization of energy resources, especially in terms of the development and application of new energy technologies.

These efforts are paying off. China now leads the world in terms of hydropower installed capacity, utilization of solar water heaters, large nuclear power plants under construction, and increase in installed wind power.

Anyway, whether China is the world's largest energy consumer or not, it is sticking to the road of energy conservation, emissions reduction and developing new energy technologies in accordance with its own development level. This means China is responsible for its own people and also for the rest of the world.