(China Daily)
Updated: 2007-11-23 07:18

The State Council's move, requiring its departments to set a good example in energy-saving efforts and emission control by economically using their vehicles for business, should be applauded.

A document released yesterday by the State Council stipulates that all central government departments and institutions are not allowed to use oil-guzzling sport utility vehicles, and they should take the lead in using environment-friendly and energy-saving domestic brand motor vehicles.

Action will be taken to check whether any department has more motor vehicles than they are allowed to keep for business use in accordance with its size and business activity.

The document urges these departments to strengthen the management of their vehicles to reduce the frequency of their use as much as possible and strictly abide by the rule to seal all their vehicles during public holidays and festivals.

The waste in the use of these vehicles has been strongly criticized for years. Use of luxurious limousines by government officials, use of public vehicles for private purposes, and the cost of keeping these vehicles, have been condemned as major reasons for the unexpected high cost.

Consensus has been reached for the reform of public vehicle use. But how the reform should be carried out still remains a hard nut to crack.

The action to seal 490,000 public vehicles during the week in November last year when the Beijing Summit of China-Africa Forum was held proved to have considerably eased traffic congestion and air pollution in the capital city.

In spite of the fact that the increase of public transport had contributed to the success of that action, the message is that the number of public vehicles used by central government and Beijing municipal government departments can be considerable reduced.

With saving energy and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions high on the agenda of government work, the action by the central government to cut spending in the use of public vehicles is of exemplary significance to the country's efforts in this regard.

This move is also good for the cultivation of a frugal working style and building of a clean government.

(China Daily 11/23/2007 page10)