China is serious about going green.

The National Development and Reform Commission of China has asked five provinces and eight cities to go low-carbon. They are the first select group for a pilot project.

The provinces and cities are required to present their low-carbon development strategies and green policies and build low-carbon and energy-efficient industries as soon as possible. They are also requested to offer statistics on their greenhouse gas emissions and encourage their residents to live a green life.

For Liaoning province, one of China's heavy industrial bases and part of the pilot program, there is a long hard journey ahead. But the low-carbon pilot program is significant as it offers role models for the rest of the nation to go green.

Perhaps even more important is the collection and building up of data on greenhouse gas emissions, which will present policy makers with a true and clear picture for formulating and implementing the right policies for the future.

Gross domestic product continues to be a significant economic indicator. For years, in the fervor to pursue GDP growth, we have seen suburban cropland devastated by factories and settlements, and air and water polluted by heavy industry and human misconduct.

We have managed to unleash double-digit growth in our GDP, which is envied by many, yet we have paid a high environmental price for it.

The pilot program compels the local governments to pursue a development outlook that is environmentally friendly, socially conscious and beneficial to all.

Editor: Xie Fang