China is committed to pursuing clean coal combustion by reducing sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions in the combustion process, said a leading Chinese official Tuesday.

Luo Yi, an official with the science and technology department of the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA), made the remarks at the 2004 China International deSOx deNOx Exhibition& Conference that opened Tuesday in Beijing.

Coal has become China's largest energy source, accounting for 70 percent of total energy consumption, Luo said. And sulfur dioxide and NOx pollution are becoming more and more serious, negatively impacting the country's sustainable development.

In the next ten years, noted Luo, an estimated 40 million kilowatts of electricity generation capacity needs to install deSOx and deNO equipment.

"We hope to swap technology and experience in this field with foreign companies and research institutes in the exhibition and promote clean coal combustion in China," said Luo.

The activity is sponsored jointly by the Ministry of Science and Technology and SEPA, attracting some 30 foreign companies and 40 domestic companies and research institutes. Nearly 400 scholars and experts from home and abroad participated in the conference.