BEIJING, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- China will strive to intensify protection of the eco-system and contribute to global ecological progress, Vice Premier Han Zheng said Friday.

Han made the remarks at the opening session of the annual general meeting of the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED), a non-profit advisory organization.

China attaches great importance to the construction of ecological civilization, Han said, stressing that China has entered a crucial phase in terms of ecological conservation and is able to solve prominent environmental problems.

He promised China will advance green development, implement innovation-driven development strategy, deepen its supply-side structural reform and seek coordination between high-quality economic growth and high-level environment conservation.

China will continue its efforts on implementing the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and shore up cooperation with the international community to construct the Green Belt and Road, Han said.

The Chinese government expects a stronger CCICED, which will serve as a new type of international cooperation platform featuring global inclusiveness, open cooperation and mutually beneficial development, he noted.

Themed "Innovation for a Green New Era," the meeting gathered many members and experts of the CCICED. The Chinese vice premier voiced his hope that they would have in-depth exchange of views, so as to contribute to the building of a community with a shared future for humanity and a clean and beautiful world.