China has been going full steam ahead in turning green.

The country's goals of peaking carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060 have since fueled everything from renewable energy development to the booming market of new energy vehicles.

Zhang Guoqiang, chairman of SinoHytec, a leading Chinese hydrogen energy company, said he expects even greater acceleration in the industry this spring.

"We are proud to say that China's hydrogen industry, as well as the hydrogen fuel cell industry, is among the world's first tier," Zhang, who's also a deputy to the 14th National People's Congress, told CGTN. 

"We expect that China will not only at least keep that position but also stands a good chance to become the No.1.  China is developing faster than its competitors in the number of hydrogen refueling stations, its hydrogen-powered vehicles development and the overall field of hydrogen application," Zhang said.

China is already the largest hydrogen producer in the world, according to Zhang.

In 2022, China's top economic planner, the National Development and Reform Commission, released a national plan to promote the development of the hydrogen energy industry. It set the target that by 2025, the country will have 50,000 hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles and achieve an annual hydrogen production from renewable energy sources of up to 200,000 tonnes. 

However, Zhang said there is still major room for the industry's development.

"Hydrogen production, storage, transportation and refueling … both in terms of technology development and industrialization, need to be improved. For example, the number of hydrogen refueling stations, even in Beijing, is far from meeting the demand of car owners," he said.

Zhang said his focus during this year's Two Sessions will be China's energy sector.

He said his company centers on homegrown technologies, which allows them to upgrade faster and control costs. And "self-reliance" would be another keyword in the industry and this political season.