Envoys from various countries lauded China's efforts on developing clean energy technologies and pursuing green development during their visit to northwest China's Gansu Province.

A delegation of ambassadors and senior diplomats from more than 20 countries, including Madagascar, Jordan, Nepal and Slovakia, started their visit on Wednesday in Lanzhou, the provincial capital, and traveled on Thursday to Dunhuang, a major stop on the ancient Silk Road.

In Dunhuang, they visited China's largest molten salt solar thermal power station, located in the Gobi Desert, which is rich in solar energy resources.

Some 12,000 mirrors, each covering 115 square meters, are arranged in concentric circles, concentrating tens of thousands of beams of sunlight onto the central heat-absorption tower.

At the top of the 260-meter-high tower, the heat absorber accumulates energy to heat up the molten salt flowing inside. The molten salt then generates high-temperature and high-pressure steam, which drives a steam turbine generator to generate electricity.

While taking pictures of the sprawling project with their mobile phones, the envoys showed great interest in learning about the principle behind the project, its application, as well as the development of China's new energy technology.

Peter Lizak, Slovakian Ambassador to China, said he was impressed by the idea and the facilities of the solar thermal power station.

"China has proposed and implemented the idea of developing green energy in this region with plenty of sunshine. This project is really impressive," Lizak said.

The ambassador also noted that Slovakia is a country with rich renewable energy resources, and looked forward to deepening cooperation with Chinese cities in developing renewable energy.

Gerardo Bugallo Ottone, counsellor of the Embassy of Spain in China, said Spain has similar solar thermal power plants, but they are not as large as the one in Dunhuang.

Noting that Spain is one of the largest new-energy producing countries in Europe, the counsellor said he looked forward to future cooperation between Spain and China in the field of new energy.

In the view of the envoys, the concept of green development has taken root in China, which has successfully achieved great economic and social benefits with minimal costs in terms of resources and the environment.

Jordan's ambassador to China Hussam Al Husseini said he believes that the green energy practice in the Gobi Desert has not only achieved a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, but also produced huge economic benefits, which can serve as a guide for many countries in the world.

Shi Lin, Party chief of Dunhuang, said the city boasts rich solar and thermal resources and has great potential in the development of the photovoltaic industry. Shi added that Dunhuang is looking forward to sharing its experience in green development with more countries around the world.

During the envoys' visit to Gansu, there will also be a dialogue session focusing on cultural exchange along the ancient Silk Road. The visit has been jointly organized by Xinhua News Agency and the Beijing Service Bureau for Diplomatic Missions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China.