Recent Oscar winner Leonardo DiCaprio only had praises for China during his recent visit to the country to promote his movie "The Revenant." The talented actor said that the communist nation could be "the hero of environmental movement."

DiCaprio, a staunch supporter of environmental protection, praised Beijing on its work to combat climate change despite its reputation of being the world's largest source of greenhouse gases.

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"As we all know, the United States and China are the two biggest contributors, and I think that China has made radical movements forward as far as alternative energy and ways to be sustainable," he said at a news conference last Sunday.

Leading investor

China has become a leading investor in renewable forms of energy such as solar and wind power despite being the world's largest coal user and producer.

The actor and environmentalist called on all nations to unite and combat climate change during his Oscar acceptance speech last month.

DiCaprio praised China for its efforts to fight climate change starting with its shift towards renewable forms of energy to lower carbon emissions.

Hero

"I really think that China can be the hero of the environmental movement, they can be the hero of the climate change movement," he said.

"They have an opportunity to change the world and I have all the confidence in the world that that is their intention," he pointed out..

DiCaprio was in Beijing last Sunday to promote his movie, "The Revenant" where he won his first Oscar for best actor.

The movie has already earned ¥100 million ($15 million) since its release in the mainland last Friday.

DiCaprio is one of the most popular Hollywood actors in China and has endeared himself to the Chinese people mainly because of his performance in "Titanic," one of his few movies that was approved by Chinese censors for release in Chinese cinemas.

Chinese moviegoers have affectionately called him Xiao Li or Little Lee.

TagsLeonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant, renewable forms of energy, Hero, The Oscar, titanic, Xiao Li, china, environmental hero