10.1 Cooperation and Involvement with International Organizations, Bodies and Agreements

China is a member state of the United Nations. In order to protect human health and environment, the Chinese Government supports the work of relevant UN agencies. It has joined the World Health Organization, United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), International Register of Potentially Toxic Chemicals (IRPTC), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Program on Chemical Safety (IPCS), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and International Labor Office (ILO). China is also a member state of the World Bank and Asian Development Bank. It has actively participated in the activities of all these international organization, fulfilled its obligations and carried out the corresponding tasks, making important contributions to the development of these organizations. China prepared the China’s Agenda 21— White Paper on China’s Population, Environment and Development in the 21st Century, promulgated the Regulations on the Environmental Management of First Import of Chemicals and the Import and Export of Toxic Chemicals, formulated the National Program on Gradually Eliminating Ozonosphere Depletion Substances in China, the Regulations Concerning Safety in the Use of Chemicals at Workplaces and the Rules on the Preparation of Technical Instructions on Chemicals Safety, and promulgated the Law on the Prevention and Control of Environmental Pollution Caused by Solid Wastes and the List of National Hazardous Wastes. China also reached an agreement with Japan concerning the destruction of chemical weapons abandoned by the Japanese in China during the Second World War. Table 10.1 lists the international organizations and activities China is involved in. Table 10.2 clarifies the involvement of China in international agreements/procedures.

10.2 Participation in Relevant Technical Assistance Projects

The Chinese Government has applied for technical assistance to the World Bank, the United Nations Development Program, UNIDO and the multilateral fund for the implementation of the Montreal Protocol. The country received a donation of US$105.6 million for the 173 projects approved at the 19th executive committee meeting and previous meetings. For the 14 projects approved at the 20th executive committee meeting, China got a donation of US$18.3 million, US$1.06 million for the six projects approved at the 21st executive committee meeting, US$23.81 million for the 20 projects approved at the 22nd meeting, and US$62 million for the industrial mechanism projects approved at the 23rd meeting. In 1998, the donation obtained totaled US$80 million.

The World Bank has approved China’s research project on the Basel Convention Action Plan, donating a total of US$300,000. The project, which has already been put into effect, will assist China in building up a legislation system for the management of solid wastes, as provided in the Basel Convention.

Table 10.1 Membership in International Organizations, Programs and Bodies

Table 10.2 Participation in International Agreements/Procedures Related to Chemicals Management

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