China should punish polluters harshly or the rural environment will not improve and the goal of building beautiful villages will never be achieved, said Wang Xiaokang, president of State-owned China Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection Group.

Wang, who is also a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, made the remarks in the "Planning for My Hometown" charity activity organized by the CPPCC Newspaper.

Chinese authorities issued their first policy document of 2014 on January 19, underscoring the importance of rural reform, developing modern agriculture and maintaining agriculture as the foundation of the national economy.

Rural environmental issues should be taken into account while planning the construction of beautiful villages, said Wang. The government should offer policy guidelines, planning support and tax preferences to promote advanced technologies in soil and water pollution treatment, he added.

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