‘Pollution still a priority,’ says China's premier as he avoids question of censored documentary
Premier Li Keqiang said yesterday that the government was committed to tackling smog, but avoided a direct answer to a direct question on a blocked air pollution documentary.
Premier Li Keqiang said yesterday that the government was committed to tackling smog, but avoided a direct answer to a direct question on a blocked air pollution documentary and its claims that oil companies were dragging their feet over the introduction of cleaner fuels.
Li said air quality had so far not improved as much as the public had expected, but that the issue was still a top priority for the government.
"I said in last year's government report that China will declare a war on smog. The fight will not stop until we reach our goal," he said.
, a documentary on the country's chronic air pollution woes by former CCTV presenter Chai Jing , went viral online soon after it was released late last month.
But the film was taken down from all major mainland internet portals just a week later. Mainland media outlets were also told not to publish stories about it.
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Chen Jining, the new environmental minister, had praised Chai's efforts at first, but did not mention it in an hour-long news conference on the sidelines of the National People's Congress last week.
Asked about the video and the role of state-owned oil companies in pollution, Li did not answer directly but said: "I understand your question was about the public concerns on smog and other pollution problems."
He said energy conservation and pollution reduction targets now stood alongside similar goals for economic growth.
Environmental problems were a high government priority and a series of measures - including restructuring the economy and improving fuel quality - had been put in place, Li said.
He vowed to punish officials who failed to enforce environmental protection regulations. "The environment law … should be a killing weapon," he said.
