China will facilitate structural readjustment and improve policy environment to propel the development of a recyclable economy, said Ma Kai, minister in charge of the State Development and Reform Commission (SDRC), in the Jiefang Daily Sunday.

As a new mode of economic development, the recyclable economy is drawing world-wide attention. A recyclable economy integrates cleaner production and comprehensive utilization of industrial pollutants, replacing the traditional "resources-products-pollutants" mode with a "resources-products-renewed resources" one, the paper reported.

"The SDRC and other relevant departments will work together to improve price, finance and taxation policies to spur recyclable economy development," Ma said Saturday at the 2004 China recyclable economy development forum held in Shanghai.

He predicted that in the first two decades of the 21st century,the demand for steel, nonferrous metals, petroleum and petrochemical products, cement will continue to rise, and as more Chinese families buy automobiles and electronic appliances, resources consumption will also increase.

Citing energy as an example, Ma said the total amount of energy consumption will reach 3 billion tons of standard coal in China by 2020, despite energy saving efforts and optimized economic structure.

"A recyclable economy is undoubtedly a good option to ease pressure on China's resources and implement sustainable development," the paper quoted Ma as saying.

This year, the SDRC has adjusted water and electricity prices in an effort to restrain the blind development of businesses with high consumption and heavy pollution. The Chinese government plans to continue to strengthen legislation to enhance recyclable economy development.