A top Chinese official on Wednesday called on the public to be kind to the Earth in a bid top reserve its resources.

Sun Wensheng, minister of land and resources, made the remark just ahead of Thursday's World Earth Day, which falls on April 22 every year.

"The Chinese government pledges itself to a scientific concept of development in using its resources," Sun said.

The concept, a new advance that the Communist Party of China (CPC) has made in the ideological field, calls for people-centered development, which is comprehensive, coordinated and sustainable.

It also stresses coordinated development between urban and rural areas, among different regions, between economic and social development, between the development of man and nature, and between domestic development and opening to the outside world.

"Be Kind to Earth---Scientific Development", as this year's theme of China's commemoration activities, embodies the idea of harmonious development between man and nature, according to Sun.

"The natural resources of the Earth are limited," Sun said. "Man must not go beyond the limit when seeking human civilization."

Statistics from the Ministry of Land and Resources show that China's current land area ranks the third in the world. However, the average land per capita only accounts for one third of the world average, the arable land per capita accounts for less than half of the world level, and the mineral resources per capita accounts for 58 percent of the world level.

Despite the fact, Sun said, China has seen a low utilization rate of its resources and even serious damage to and waste of its resources in the past years.

"China is faced with an increasing demand of resources for social and economic development, while it meets severe challenges in its resources supply," Sun said. "Therefore, China must adopt ascientific concept of development in using its resources so as to achieve a harmonious and coordinated development between man and nature and between economic and social development."

Sun said that China would protect its land, especially farmland,in the "strictest" manner, practice strict economy in and strengthen supervision over the exploitation of its resources.

"To protect the Earth is to protect ourselves and to leave a precious living space for our offspring," Sun said. "Let's move toprotect the Earth and create a beautiful life and a bright future."

Apart from the joint venture, Baosteel had joined hands with Brazil in exploiting ironstone in Brazil.

Source: Xinhua