Chapter 5
China's Basic Principles and Position
on Some International Issues Relating to Sustainable Development
Section 2 China's Implementation of Relevant International Conventions Relating to Environment
I. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora5.9 The Chinese Government has always maintained an active and prudent attitude towards legislation activities relating to the global environment. Since 1980, China has signed, acceded to, and ratified more than 20 international conventions and relevant protocols concerning the protection of natural resources and the environment, and has always seriously fulfilled her commitments in accordance with the relevant legal instruments. A brief account of her implementation since the UNCED follows:
II. Convention on Biodiversity5.10 Since 1992, China has actively participated in the Eighth and Ninth Session of the Convention Conference of Signatory Nations and the Third Asian Regional Meeting as well as all of the meetings for Standing Members of the Convention. To join in the international efforts on protection of rhinoceros and tigers, the Chinese Government promulgated the "Circular of the State Council on Forbidding the Trade of Rhinoceros Horns and Tiger Bones" in May of 1992, and participated in the conference on rhinoceros protection convened by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) in 1993. During the period of 1986 to 1993, the public security offices of Chinese forestry departments dealt with, in accordance with relevant regulations, more than 50,000 cases of offence concerning the wild fauna and flora. Nation-wide law enforcement inspections were conducted annually in 1993-1996, and meted out due punishment in cases of offenders destroying the resources of wild fauna and flora.
5.11 In accordance with the relevant Convention provisions, the Chinese Government has set up the "National Office of the People's Republic of China on the Management of Import and Export of Endangered Species" and the "Science Committee of the People's Republic of China on Endangered Species" as well as 17 branch offices responsible for relevant import and export management. At the same time, research institutes on the endangered wild animals have also been established in northeastern, northwestern, and southern China to strengthen the nation's scientific study of wild fauna and flora. Between 1992 and 1994, China co-operated with the Secretariat of the Convention in holding two training courses on the management of import and export of endangered wild fauna and flora, providing training to a total of more than 100 professional staff members. In May of 1994, Beijing hosted the Seminar on the Control of the Convention. In October of 1995, Beijing hosted the seminar on the "Control of Trade in Wild Animals and Plants in Asia Countries and Other Relevant Areas." Moreover, China has also received visits from many relevant organisations and bodies, including the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the Secretariat of the Convention, the Standing Committee of the Convention, the WWF, the Accounting and Analysis Committee on International Trade in Wild Fauna and Flora, American and British governmental organisations, and non-government organisations.
III. UN Framework Convention on Climate Change5.12 Following the signing of the Convention in 1992, China established the "Work Coordination Team for China's Implementation of the Convention on Biodiversity", comprised of 20 relevant ministries and agencies. China has actively participated in all of the major follow-up activities of the Convention, including all sessions of the "Conference of the Parties" to the Convention (in 1994 and 1995), the expert meetings on the follow-up action concerning the Convention, and some other relevant activities.
5.13 In accordance with the provisions under Article 6 of the Convention, China's relevant departments completed the compilation of her national Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) in 1993, which was officially published and is being implemented. Thus, China was one of the earliest few countries to complete the Biodiversity Conservation Action Plan and is having a positive impact on Convention implementation by the international community. At the same time, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Convention, China completed her National Report on Biodiversity as a follow-up action to the Convention. The report has laid out in detail the current situation of China's biodiverstiy, has analysed the benefits of biodiversity protection, and has dealt with the strengthening of the national capabilities necessary for biodiversity protection and for sustainable utilisation of biodiversity.
IV. Vienna Convention for the Protection of Ozone Layer5.14 The Chinese Government attaches great importance to the issue of climate change. Chinese Premier Li Peng signed the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change at the UNCED in Rio in 1992. This Convention was ratified by China's National People's Congress (i.e. national parliament) in January of 1993. Early in February of 1990, the State Council (i.e. the Central Government) set up the "Coordination Group on Climate Change", comprising all the relevant ministries and government agencies, to formulate and coordinate relevant policies and measures on climate change. China has also been participating earnestly in all the relevant work of the Convention and has actively made her due contribution. In accordance with relevant provisions of the Convention, and in line with the "Guidelines" adopted by Cop-II, China will submit her national initial communication within 3 years of availability of financial resources. China has already submitted her preliminary list of requisite technologies. Meanwhile, China is actively taking measures suited to her national conditions in an effort to abate the growth rate of the nation's greenhouse gases emissions, although her per capita emissions are rather low.
V. UN Convention on the Prevention of Desertification5.15 China acceded to this convention in 1989, and signed its "London Adjustments and Amendments to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer" in 1991. In addition to participating in a series of international conferences concerning the protection of ozone layer, the Chinese Government has always taken an active part in international activities relating to the protection of ozone layer and has, for many years, made important contributions to the restriction and the phasing out of ozone layer depleting substances. The Chinese Government in 1991 set up the "Leading Group for Protection of the Ozone Layer", with its subordinate coordinating teams and offices. Its responsibilities are to formulate the National Programme for the phasing out of ozone layer depleting substances, to oversee implementation of the Programme, and to deal with the routine work relating to the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol.
5.16 In January of 1993, the Chinese Government approved the "National Programme for the Phasing Out of Ozone Layer Depleting Materials" and communicated to the Secretariat China's data of restricted and controlled materials produced, imported, and exported by China (including Taiwan Province).
5.17 By July of 1996, China received grants from the Montreal Multilateral Fund for 170 relevant projects, which have been, or are being, implemented smoothly.
VI. International Convention on Wetlands5.18 The Chinese Government attaches great importance to preventing and combating desertification, and has formulated and started implementing her national ten-year Anti-Desertification Programme before the negotiation of the Convention. China has included this Programme in China's Agenda 21. Meanwhile, the Chinese Government had sent delegations to participate in all negotiations on the Convention between 1993 and 1994, and has played a constructive role during the negotiations process. In October of 1994, the Chinese Government signed this Convention.
5.19 Following the signing of the Convention, the Chinese Government set up China's Executive Committee on the UN Convention on the Prevention of Desertification in preparation for implementation of the Convention, and also established the nation's Desertification Monitoring Centre to obtain timely macro-information on desertification in China. The Executive Committee has organised the formulation of the "National Action Plan for Combating Desertification", and the "Law of the People's Republic of China on Combating Desertification" is now being formulated. With a view to enhancing the awareness of government personnel at all levels over the issue of desertification and the Convention, China has held three High-Level Workshops on the UN Convention on the Prevention of Desertification during the past two years. Moreover, in order to strengthen international cooperation in combating desertification, China, in collaboration with Japan and the UN Special Coordinator's Office for Africa and the Least Developed Countries, hosted the Asia-Africa Anti-Desertification Seminar (1996, Beijing), at which twenty countries from Asia and Africa exchanged experience in combating desertification, explored possible activities of cooperation, and adopted the Asia-Africa Action Framework on the Prevention of Desertification.
5.20 In combating desertification, China is still faced with great difficulties because desertification affects a vast amount of land in a number of different regions of the country. Although the Chinese Government has allocated financial and material resources to deal with the problem, the resources still fall far short of the actual needs. In this connection, China needs financial and technological support from the international community, especially from the developed countries, to better address desertification and achieve sustainable development in ecologically-fragile areas so as to make her contribution to the global effort at combating desertification and protecting the ecological environment.
5.21 China acceded to this convention in 1992, and has since been earnestly implementing the relevant Convention provisions. China has entered six wetland nature reserve areas into the List of International Major Wetlands, and sent delegations to the Fifth and the Sixth Conferences of the parties to the Convention in 1993 and 1996, briefing the conferences on the work of, and achievements made in protecting and rationally utilising the nation's wetland.
5.22 In 1993, China set up a Leading Group, comprised of the Forestry Ministry and 16 other relevant department, for formulating the nation's Action Plan for the Protection of Wetlands. Both China's Agenda 21 and her "Action Plan on the Protection of Biodiversity" have incorporated protection of wetland in the relevant priority areas and priority projects.
5.23 Meanwhile, China is earnestly implementing the "Agreement on the Protection of Migrating Birds and their Habitats" signed respectively with Japan and Australia. In 1996, three major wetlands, including one on the Chongming Island in Shanghai, were included in the Network for the Protection of Migration Routes of Waterfowl in Asia and Australia.
5.24 In addition China has conducted extensive international cooperation activities with organisations such as the WWF, WI, IUCN, and ICF for protection of wild fauna and flora. These activities include surveys of wetland resources and the construction of nature reserve areas.
5.25 Furthermore, China has conducted public education and scientific studies on protection on wetland, and has achieved positive results in research efforts relating to classification and protection of wetland, resources monitoring, pollution treatment, as well as rational development and utilisation of wetland.
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