BEIJING - China's energy consumption per unit of GDP decreased by 11.6 percent in the first four years of the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), Zheng Shanjie, head of the National Development and Reform Commission, said Wednesday.

This reduction is equivalent to cutting 1.1 billion tons of carbon dioxide emissions, nearly 50 percent of the European Union's total carbon emissions in 2024, according to Zheng.

"China's actions fully demonstrate the responsibility of a major country," Zheng said.