China 's consumption of energy relative to economic output fell around 3% in the first three quarters compared with the same period last year, National Development and Reform Commission vice director Xie Zhenhua said Wednesday, the official Xinhua News Agency reported, indicating continued improvement in energy efficiency.

In the first half, fuel used per dollar of gross domestic product rose 0.09% from the same period last year. The pace of the rise slowed from the 3.2% increase in energy intensity recorded for the first quarter.

China pledged to improve energy efficiency by 20% between 2005 and 2010. By 2009, the government said it had reduced energy use by nearly 16% relative to economic output, revising an earlier figure of 14.4%.

The government has taken measures over the past quarters to save energy and cut emissions, including limiting power supplies to industrial users and even households. It has also urged banks to restrict lending to highly energy-intensive and pollutive industries.

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