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China abandons annual energy saving targets

China will no longer set annual energy saving targets, as its efficiency-boosting measures will not bear fruit immediately, but it is still sticking to a five-year goal, Reuters reported a top official as saying on Wednesday.
"This year the government did not set a target," Ma Kai, head of the National Development and Reform Commission, told a news conference during the annual session of the National People’s Congress.
 
"We feel that energy saving and emissions reduction are determined by a number of factors. Some of the measures will have an immediate impact while in the case of some others they will take time to become effective."
China has pledged to reduce the amount of energy it uses to generate each unit of national income by 20% between 2006 and the end of the decade, and last year aimed for a 4% improvement — but only managed just over 1%.