China and the United States, the world’s two biggest greenhouse gas polluters, will seek to work more closely on improving their energy use, a Chinese official said in comments published Tuesday. Improving energy efficiency will be a top agenda item when the two nations begin meeting near Beijing on Wednesday for twice-yearly economic talks, said Ma Kai, the head of China’s National Development and Reform Commission. „We have prepared a China-US energy cooperation guidebook,” the China Daily quoted Ma, China’s top economic planner, as saying ahead of the Strategic Economic Dialogue.

Ma said China was seeking „comprehensive cooperation” with the United States in all aspects of energy use, including coal, petroleum and gas, energy efficiency and renewable energies, the paper said. Ma praised the United States’ „mature experience” in improving the efficiency of burning coal.

Coal is the source of around 70% of China’s booming energy demands and a main reason behind the nation’s massive rise in emissions of carbon dioxide, one of the major greenhouse gases that are blamed for global warming.

„The two sides should intensify their energy efficiency cooperation and increase their efforts in clean energy exploration,” Ma said. China and the United States had already in September signed an initial memorandum of understanding to increase energy efficiency in China’s industrial sector.

The United States and China are the two biggest emitters of greenhouse gases, according to the International Energy Agency. The administration of US President George W. Bush has come under much international criticism for refusing to sign the Kyoto Protocol that binds developed countries to cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

China has signed the protocol but, as a developing nation, is not required to curb emissions. (People’s Daily)