CANCUN, Mexico - Nongovernmental organizations' (NGOs) contribution to fighting climate change should not be overlooked, China's climate chief negotiator, Xie Zhenhua, said in Cancun on Dec 9.

Xie thanked representatives from the NGOs, including the World Widelife Fund (WWF), Greenpeace and Oxfam International, for their efforts to promote the global environmental protection, during a meeting at the UN climate change conference.

NGOs were carrying forward environmental protection "on behalf of our mother earth," he said.

"China is one of the countries enduring the strong impact of climate change. We share the same feelings about such circumstances with the small island countries and African countries," he said.

Special Coverage: Climate conference in Cancun Related readings:  China's top negotiator meets with representatives of int'l NGOs  Climate talks intensify, negotiators see progress  A fair climate for competition  UN climate chief pushes for success in Cancun  Environmental activists demonstrate in Cancun

He also reaffirmed the Chinese delegation's decision to defend and uphold the Kyoto Protocol.

"The Kyoto Protocol is an important legal document which plays an important historic role," he said, adding that "China hopes the protocol can continue to give full play to its role in fighting global warming under new circumstances and can be constantly perfected in its development."

Greater China Director of the Climate Group Wu Changhua said, although NGOs did not participate in the climate negotiations directly, they could play a role as a think tank.

"They can also play a role in improving environmental protection awareness and organizing local governments and enterprises to tackle climate problems," she said.

The Cancun talks, running from November 29 to December10, aim to find solutions to global climate change. Participants include some 25,000 government officials, businessmen, NGO representatives and researchers from more than 190 countries.