The international community should take joint efforts to ensure global energy security, Chinese President Hu Jintao said at the G8 summit in St. Petersburg Monday.

"To ensure global energy security, we need to develop and implement a new energy security concept that calls for mutually beneficial cooperation, diversified forms of development and common energy security through coordination," Hu said in a written speech to the outreach session of the G8 summit.

Chinese President Hu Jintao waves as he arrives for a G8 summit meeting in Konstantinovsky Palace in St. Petersburg July 17, 2006. [Reuters]

While global energy security is crucial to the economic growth and people's livelihood of all countries, the world peace and stability, and common development, "few countries can achieve energy security without joining in international cooperation," he stressed.

In this regard, efforts should be made in the following three priority areas, Hu said.

First, cooperation should be enhanced for mutual benefit in energy development and utilization.

"To ensure global energy security, it is important to strengthen dialogue and cooperation between energy exporters and consumers and among major energy consumers," he said.

He urged the international community to strengthen policy coordination and improve mechanisms for monitoring the international energy market and responding to energy emergencies.

Second, a system for R&D and extension of advanced energy technologies needs to be put in place, Hu said.

International cooperation should be promoted in R&D of key technologies in renewable energies, hydrogen power, nuclear power and other energy resources, and energy-saving technology should also be promoted, he said.

Third, efforts should be made to maintain a sound political climate favourable to energy security and stability, Hu said.

"We should join hands to safeguard stability of energy-producing countries and regions, the Middle East in particular," he said. "Energy issues should not be politicized, still less should countries willfully resort to force in tackling energy issues."

Hu also explained China's energy strategy that can be summarized as follows: Give high priority to conservation, rely mainly on domestic supply, develop diverse energy resources, protect the environment, step up international cooperation of mutual benefit and ensure the stable supply of economical and clean energies.

Hu pledged that China, as a major energy consumer and producer, "will make proper use of the international energy market and strengthen win-win cooperation with other energy producers and consumers on the basis of equality and mutual benefit to jointly safeguard global energy security."

The G8 leaders met with leaders of six developing countries -- Brazil, China, India, Mexico, the Republic of Congo and South Africa -- on Monday for an outreach session to discuss issues of common concern.

The discussion focused on energy security, fighting communicable diseases, education and Africa's development.