BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping said the country will fight a good battle against pollution and push ecological civilization to a new level during a tone-setting meeting on environmental protection ending Saturday. China will push for coordination between economic and social development and ecological civilization, Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, said when addressing the two-day national conference. Xi said the country will channel more energy into promoting ecological civilization and resolving environmental problems, backed by the political advantages of the centralized and unified leadership of the CPC and the socialist system, as well as the achievements made during the 40 years of reform and opening-up. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang also made a speech during the meeting. Li is a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. Also attending the meeting were several members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, including Wang Yang, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Wang Huning, member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, and Zhao Leji, secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng made the concluding speech. Han is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. Condolences Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday sent condolences to Cuban and Mexican leaders respectively over an airliner crash in Cuba that caused more than 100 deaths. In his messages to Raul Castro, first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC), and Miguel Diaz-Canel, president of the Council of State and the Council of Ministers of Cuba, Xi said he was shocked to learn the air crash that caused heavy casualties. Mourning the dead, Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, extended heartfelt condolences to the PCC, the Cuban government and the Cuban people as well as the bereaved families on behalf of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the Chinese government and the Chinese people, as well as in his own name. In his message to Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, Xi mourned the Mexican crew members killed in the air crash and extended sincere condolences to their families. Also on Saturday, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang sent a message of condolences to Diaz-Canel over the air crash. The Boeing 737-200 with 105 passengers and six crew members that include five Mexican staff on board crashed during takeoff from the Jose Marti International Airport in Cuba’s capital Havana around noon Friday. So far, only three women survived the crash, all still in serious condition. Published in Daily Times, May 20th 2018.