Experts say goal is sustainable growth

China must reduce pollution and promote the development of new clean energy sources to maintain the pace of economic progress without sacrificing the environment, said experts during the 2014 Caijing Annual Conference.

Xia Guang, director of Environmental and Economic Policy Research Center under the Ministry of Environmental Protection, said China is not the biggest economy in the world, but its emissions are the highest, which has led to the pollution of the air, water and soil.

To address air pollution, the country must spend at least 1.7 trillion yuan ($278.6 billion), according to the ministry.