"The country will step up construction of major projects related to energy conservation and environmental protection in 2010," Xinhua news agency quoted the meeting of the Politburo, chaired by President Hu Jintao, as proclaiming.

"Attendees... agreed that the country should maintain the continuity and stability of the macroeconomic policies," it added.

The meeting, called to review economic policies for the year ahead, came the day after China unveiled for the first time specific targets for curbing growth in carbon emissions by 2020.

Xinhua gave no other details.

Senior leaders have said recently that China will stick to its "moderately loose" monetary policy as the government seeks to help lift the economy out of a slowdown triggered by the global financial crisis.