China has set ambitious goals to deal with its energy and environmental problems, but the challenge lies in their implementation, and that will require not just government policy decisions but changes in consumer awareness and behavior, said Zha Daojiong, a professor at Peking University's School of International Studies.

Despite all the rosy numbers on its spectacular growth, "China is a very weak country . . . full of vulnerable points," Zha told the March 24 symposium.

China achieved 11.4 percent growth in its gross domestic product in 2007, but Zha said people should look at what contributed to this rapid growth.