China must "pay" to improve environmental health, says US

A US government minister has said that China must contribute financially to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which is necessary in order to improve global environmental health.

According to Reuters, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke appeared to be clarifying a potentially controversial previous statement in which he had said that US carbon consumption - which causes the emission of greenhouse gases - meant that Americans should pay.

Locke told members of private sector advisory group the Manufacturing Council that developing countries like China should do the same as the US and other developed nations and make a financial commitment to addressing climate change.

"They've got to step up," he said. "They've got to invest in energy efficiency and conservation, but also in very definitive steps in reducing greenhouse gas emissions."

Meanwhile, China Daily recently reported that Chinese authorities had pledged to invest in improving air quality in the Guangzhou province ahead of next year's Asian Games.

Written by Lauren Steadman