China will promote the use of more energy-efficient lighting in its cities during the 11th five-year plan period (2006-2010), according to a plan on the promotion of "green" lighting issued by the Ministry of Construction on Monday.

Eighty-five percent of the lighting used in public places in Chinese cities will be energy-efficient by 2010. This will cut energy consumption of urban lighting by five percent every year compared with 2005.

China's national five-year plan aims to cut energy consumption per yuan of gross domestic product by 20 percent by 2010. The promotion of energy-efficient lighting, known as the Green Lighting Program, is a major part of the national energy-saving plan.

The plan calls for the revision of the regulations on urban lighting, calling for the regulatory bodies to be streamlined so that a single department will be in charge of the construction and management of urban lighting systems.

Existing rules on the procurement of energy-efficient products by the government should also be better enforced, the outline says.

Source: Xinhua