Principle key to action plan

China: 'Common but differentiated responsibilities' must be reaffirmed

China re-emphasized on Saturday that the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities" must be reaffirmed in the action plan of the upcoming UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), as some developed countries want to delete the term.

Assistant Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu told reporters in Rio de Janeiro that the principle insisted by the Group 77 and China is a guideline for international cooperation on sustainable development.