China hopes to strengthen cooperation with Spain in the renewable energy sector, Chinese Vice-Premier Zeng Peiyan said in Beijing Saturday.

"Actively exploring renewable energy is an important principle of China's energy development strategy," Zeng said when he addressed a China-Spain renewable energy seminar.

Also on hand was visiting Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.

Zeng said China will further adjust the existing energy structure and encourage the development of renewable energy.

"By 2020, we expect the utilization of renewable energy to be equivalent to 400 million tons of standard coal, raising the ratio of renewable energy usage in China's total energy consumption from current 7 percent to 13 percent," Zeng said.

China regards the exploration and utilization of renewable energy as one of the top priorities for the country's energy strategy and will adopt a series of preferential policies to accelerate the sector's development.

The Vice-Premier noted that China will enhance renewable energy cooperation with other countries and actively import advanced technology, experts, experience and investment from abroad.

Spain has many successful experience in renewable energy development and the two counties have maintained close cooperation in this field, Zeng said, expressing the hope that both sides would raise the level of renewable energy cooperation to a new height.

(Xinhua News Agency July 23, 2005)