Chinese President Hu Jintao on Tuesday called for China to step-up efforts to tackle climate change so as to ensure the country's carbon dioxide emission cut 2020 targets would be reached.

Hu made the call during a meeting attended by members of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

China announced in November last year that it aimed to reduce the intensity of carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP in 2020 by 40 to 45 percent compared with 2005 levels.

This was a "voluntary action" taken by the Chinese government based on its own national conditions and would have profound and far-reaching significance in ensuring China's economy and society develop in a sound and rapid manner, Hu said.