China plans to step up efforts to develop clean energy and other technology industries this year, government officials said Thursday, a strategy that has strained trade ties with Washington and other governments. Beijing also will create an "enabling environment" for home-grown next-generation mobile technology and electric cars, said Zhu Hongren, a spokesman for the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
"China will further develop a series of plans for development of these important sectors," Zhu said at a news conference. Zhu gave no details of planned support. But efforts to nurture Chinese producers of clean energy and other technologies with subsidies and preference in government procurement have triggered complaints Beijing was violating free trade principles. Washington filed a World Trade Organisation case in December challenging subsidies to Chinese producers of wind and solar equipment.