BEIJING - China's energy consumption per GDP is 2.2 times the world average, said Zhang Ping, director of the National Development and Reform Commission, the Legal Evening News reported.

Zhang said that China is becoming more reliant on other countries in terms of major mineral resources. More than half of the petroleum and iron ore China consumes is imported. China's domestic economy has been developing at an annual rate of 11.2 percent, while the annual increase in energy consumption remains at 6.6 percent.

Zhang also mentioned that in 2012 the government's annual investment in rural areas will surpass 1 trillion yuan ($158 million) for the first time in history, the paper reported.