For those who are familiar with China's laws and efforts to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases, the document issued by 15 central ministerial departments that says gas mixed with ethanol will be used to fuel vehicles nationwide by 2020 should not come as a surprise, because it will facilitate the shift from fossil fuels to clean energy.

Ethanol mixed with gas, or ethanol gas, is being used in 11 provinces on a trial basis and research to develop better technology in this regard has been going on for years. Which means the decision to use ethanol gas to fuel vehicles across China by 2020 is based on what has already been achieved in developing the technology to produce the needed volume of ethanol and to promote the shift to clean energy.

Besides, studies are supposedly on to prepare a timetable for phasing out the manufacturing and sales of gas-powered vehicles in the future. The phase-out process is likely to be accompanied by a likely increase in the use of electric vehicles, which could take years because electric cars are expensive and there are too few charging points to meet the rising demand.