Wolfowitz "Concerned" By China's Pollution, Emissions, Praises Its Economy

World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz expressed concern Thursday over China's environmental problems, but praised Beijing's poverty alleviation efforts on his first trip here as bank chief. "China is the world's second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases and contains 20 of the 30 most air-polluted cities in the world," Wolfowitz said in a statement issued by the bank.

"There are also pressing issues relating to water and energy usage that I hope to understand better from this visit."

Wolfowitz was speaking from the northwestern Chinese city of Lanzhou, where he arrived on Wednesday for a visit that will include the financial meeting of the G-20 group of developing nations near Beijing over the weekend.

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However, he praised China's efforts at poverty alleviation during its economic development drive and pledged continued World Bank support. "Since 1980, China accounted for 75 percent of poverty reduction in the developing world," he said. "I want to understand more about what the Bank can do to assist China in addressing the still large challenges of poverty in the country."

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http://www.terradaily.com/news/china-05zzzzzzzzzc.html

... are largely due to the rise of Western investment in Chinese manufacturing, chemical and other heavy industry sectors...and Western manufacturing, chemical and other heavy industries opening plants in China, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, etc. (while closing plants in the west), to take advantage of lax environmental policies...