Senior Chinese leader He Guoqiang has stressed the importance of adjusting economic growth pattern to reduce energy waste and pollution.

He, a Standing Committee member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during his visit to east China's Jiangsu Province from May 14 to 19.

While visiting a heavy equipment manufacturer, He urged the group to improve operations and management methods to reduce production costs and energy waste.

During his trip to Taihu lake, he called for more efforts to develop the recycling, low-carbon and green economy to strengthen environmental protection and to ensure people "have clean drinking water and clean air to breathe."

Taihu, China's third largest freshwater lake, has suffered rampant algae growth from water pollution due to sewage discharge.

An excess of algae removes oxygen from the water, killing fish and other aquatic life, which then decay and release toxins.

While inspecting the road tunnel which traverses the Yangtze River in Nanjing and the Sutong Yangtze Road Bridge that links the two cities of Nantong and Suzhou, He hailed engineers for overcoming various difficulties with their independent technological innovation.