The export of high-energy-consuming, polluting or resource-intensive products should be restricted, says a signed article in People's Daily. An excerpt follows:

The exports of some high-energy-consuming products keep rising. Statistics show that the export of steel and steel billets totaled 14.13 million tons and 1.78 million tons, respectively 120 percent and 98.1 percent higher than the same period last year.

The increase of export of high-energy-consuming products has intensified domestic shortages of resources and burdened our environment.

It is estimated that the export of high-energy-consuming products uses one-fifth of the country's total energy consumption. It is also a reason for the increase in the trade surplus, which has hurt the country's trade environment and intensified conflicts.

China has become the world's third largest trader. But our foreign trade faces a series of problems such as high resource and environmental costs, products with low added value, lack of Chinese-owned brands, and high foreign-trade dependence of processing industries.

The central government is aware of this issue and has taken measures to curb the increase. The export tax rebates were cut or canceled; the trade of some resource products was stopped.

But this is not enough. The government should take more measures to control the export of such products.

(China Daily 05/16/2007 page10) 

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