Chinese Vice-Premier Li Keqiang (1st R, front) meets with Edano Yukio (1st L, front), Japanese minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, who came to attend the sixth China-Japan forum on energy conservation and environmental protection held in Beijing, capital of China, Nov 26, 2011. [Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING - Chinese Vice-Premier Li Keqiang called for efforts to deepen Sino-Japanese cooperation in energy conservation and environmental protection and create new economic growth areas while addressing a Sino-Japanese environment forum here on Saturday.

Li made the remark at the sixth China-Japan forum on energy conservation and environmental protection held in Beijing.

Li said, as the European debt crisis is still expanding, the global financial market undergoes much turmoil, and many countries are experiencing slower growth and rising prices, risks of a long-term recession are piling up.

Under such circumstances, Li said, a new growth pattern is needed more than ever.

China and Japan are large economies as well as major consumers of energy, and economic restructuring is in the interests of both, Li said, suggesting coupling China's advantage of a huge market with Japan's technological edge so as to enhance bilateral cooperation in energy conservation and environmental protection.

Furthermore, Li said as both countries are major importers of energy, the two should boost consultations on energy issues and get a bigger say on the international energy market.

Li also called upon both governments to financially aid cooperative projects in this field, and push forward a showcase project of circular economy which belongs to China, Japan and the Republic of Korea.

Additionally, Li expressed hope that Japan introduce its state-of-the-art energy and environmental technologies into China, and urged greater efforts to protect intellectual property rights.