Minister of Natural Resources Wang Guanghua: A new round of nationwide strategic mineral exploration initiatives has been fully launched.

Mountains, waters, forests, farmland, lakes, grasslands, and deserts constitute the material foundation and spatial framework for development. In order to implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the Central Economic Work Conference, and to invigorate resource factors and unlock the potential of green development, Minister of Natural Resources Wang Guanghua granted an interview to a Xinhua News Agency reporter.

Increasing reserves and production of energy resources to enhance strategic reserve‑security capabilities.

Q: Mineral resources are the lifeblood of modern industry. How can we increase reserves and boost production?

Answer: The Central Economic Work Conference emphasized strengthening domestic exploration and development of critical energy and mineral resources, increasing reserves and boosting production, accelerating the planning and construction of a new‑type energy system, and enhancing the capacity to ensure strategic material reserves.

China’s dependence on foreign sources for several key mineral resources remains high; any shifts in the international landscape could inevitably undermine economic security and even national security. To address this, we must, on the one hand, advance high‑level opening-up and make full use of “two types of resources and two markets”; on the other hand, we should adopt a proactive approach to ensure domestic resource security under exceptional circumstances.

We will prioritize critical and bulk strategic minerals and launch a comprehensive new round of domestic mineral exploration for strategic resources. We will implement a strategic mineral reserve program to strengthen our long-term capacity to secure strategic mineral resources. For areas within ecological protection red lines that hold significant mineral resource potential, the state will allocate investment to conduct focused exploration, with the resulting reserves serving as strategic stockpiles.

Improve incentive policies for social capital investment in exploration and mineral prospecting, and, in coordination with relevant departments, refine supporting measures to fully mobilize the enthusiasm of market entities, while giving priority to ensuring land-use requirements for the conversion of strategic mineral exploration rights into mining rights.

Developing a new energy system is a strategic choice for advancing China’s green and low-carbon transformation and achieving the goals of peaking carbon emissions and achieving carbon neutrality. We will formulate policies to encourage large-scale photovoltaic projects to be sited on unused land such as gobi deserts, barren deserts, and wastelands, promote the healthy and orderly development of the offshore photovoltaic industry, and guide the deployment of offshore wind power in deeper and more distant waters.

Promote ecological conservation and restoration, and build a Beautiful China.

Question: As the department primarily responsible for ecological conservation and restoration, how can you promote green development?

Answer: The report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China emphasizes that development must be planned from the perspective of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature. The Central Economic Work Conference pointed out that we must advance the green transformation of economic and social development. We will adhere to the principles of prioritizing conservation, prioritizing protection, and relying primarily on natural restoration, thereby promoting a green transition in development.

Scientifically plan the spatial layout of land and territory. In accordance with the National Land and Space Planning Outline, accelerate the approval and implementation of land and space plans at all local levels, ensuring that the three control lines truly serve as inviolable red lines for adjusting the economic structure, guiding industrial development, and advancing urbanization.

Comprehensively enhance resource-use efficiency. Improve the system of paid use of natural resource assets and refine market‑based allocation mechanisms. Focus on revitalizing existing construction land, expand pilot programs for the redevelopment of inefficient urban land, and make effective use of various non‑construction lands within village areas.

Focusing on key national ecological function zones, ecological conservation red lines, and nature reserves, we will accelerate the implementation of major projects for the protection and restoration of critical ecosystems. We will put into effect the national park planning scheme and gradually establish a new batch of national parks. We will launch large-scale land greening initiatives and carry out major projects for biodiversity conservation.

Simultaneously reduce carbon emissions and enhance carbon sinks. Leverage the guiding and regulatory role of territorial spatial planning in shaping industrial restructuring and other related policies. Strengthen land-use controls to effectively harness the carbon-sequestration capacity of forests, grasslands, wetlands, oceans, soils, and permafrost. Improve the ecological compensation mechanism that reflects the value of carbon sinks, and explore initiatives to advance carbon‑sink trading.

Source: Xinhua News Agency