Chapter 1
Introduction
Section 2 The Overall Progress in Implementing the Strategy of Sustainable Development
1.3 Since the UNCED held in Rio in 1992, the Government of China has taken a responsible attitude in implementing China's relevant commitments made at UNCED. A series of efforts have been exerted to carry out Agenda 21 in the context of the country-specific conditions of China, and remarkable progress has been achieved:
The nation's 10-Point Strategy for Sustainable Development was adopted by the Chinese Government in August 1992 to set forth that China's inevitable choice is to follow the path of sustainable development.
An organisational guarantee system has been established in order to give impetus to the implementation of the nation's sustainable development strategy. The Leading Group of China's Agenda 21, along with its office, was established by the Chinese Central Government in August of 1992. Its purpose is to formulate and carry out the programmes in China's Agenda 21. Under the leadership of the State Planning Commission and the State Science and Technology Commission, an administrative office - the Administrative Centre for China's Agenda 21 - was also established to address the day-to-day work of implementing the Priority Programme for China's Agenda 21 according to the directives of the Leading Group and its office. Altogether, 21 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities across the country had set up their local Leading Groups and offices for Agenda 21 by the end of October of 1996.
Sustainable development strategies have been formulated at different levels for the State, departments, and local governments respectively. The Chinese Government finalized and published the sustainable development strategy for China in 1994, namely "China's Agenda 21 - White Paper on China's Population, Environment, and Development in the 21st Century" (hereinafter referred to as "China's Agenda 21" ). Guided by China's Agenda 21, many provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities have developed, or are in the process of developing, their respective Agenda 21 or Action Plans. Also, several ministries have made, or are making, their Agenda 21 or Action Plans in their specific fields.
The strategy of sustainable development has been incorporated into national economic and social development plans. This has been an essential measure for China to carry out her national strategy of sustainable development. With support from the UNDP, the relevant departments of the Chinese Government have conducted research and training courses in integrating China's Agenda 21 into national economic and social development plans. This has played a positive role in assisting local governments at various levels to work out their Ninth Five-Year Plans and Long-Term Objectives for the Year 2010. In March 17, 1996, the Fourth Session of the Eighth National People's Congress (i.e. Parliament of China) adopted the "Outline of the Ninth Five-Year Plan for National Social and Economic Development and the Long-Term Objectives for the Year 2010". These have set forth sustainable development as an important guiding principle of the nation, and relevant decisions on implementing this strategy in the future have been clearly worked out.
The processes of drafting relevant new legislation and improving law enforcement have been accelerated to promote the implementation of the sustainable development strategy. These steps are necessary to ensure its implementation into the legal system in a more scientific and systematic manner.
Social groups and the public have been organised and mobilised to participate in the implementation of the sustainable development strategy. Local governments at different levels in China, as well as social groups have conducted a number of training courses and have made tremendous efforts to disseminate the concept of sustainable development by launching extensive publicity campaigns using the television, radio broadcasting, newspapers, and magazines thus enhancing the whole nation's awareness of sustainable development. The ideology and strategy of sustainable development has now won extensive support from people of all walks of life, including all social groups in China. Positive progress in spreading the concept of sustainable development has been made due to the participation of women, youth, labour unions, peasants (particularly those from ethnic minorities), and scientific and technological societies.
Proceeding from the spirit of establishing global partnerships, international co-operation has been actively sought in the realm of environment and development. Supported by relevant agencies of the United Nations, international organisations, the governments of many other nations, and the business community, the Chinese Government held the First and Second International High-Level Round Table Conferences on China's Agenda 21 in 1994 and 1996 respectively. These two conferences helped promote the exchange of experience and gave new impetus to international co-operation in the field of sustainable development.
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