Honorable Mr. Chairman, Council Members,

　　Ladies and Gentlemen,

　　First of all, I would like to extend, on behalf of the Ministry of Forestry, our congratulation on the opening of the First Meeting of the Second Phase of the C CICED. Today, I would like to brief the meeting on the progress made by the Ministry of Forestry in implementing China's Agenda 21 and related international conventions since the last meeting of China Council for International Cooperation o n Environment and Development.

　　1. Progress in the Implementation of China's Agenda 21

　　In order to implement in an all-round way the strategy of sustainable development defined in China's Agenda 21, and to give full play to the prominent role of forestry in promoting development and optimizing environment, the Ministry of Forestry formulated the Forestry Action Plan for China's Agenda 21 in 1995. In light of the priorities defined in the Action Plan, it has undertaken the following activities.

　　1.1 Strengthening Afforestation and Development of Major Ecological Forest Programmes

　　The Chinese government has always attached great significance to the greening of its national territory and environmental development. The Resolution on Carrying out National Compulsory Tree-planting Campaign adopted in 1981 at the National People's Congress pushed China's forestry into a new era of development in which forestry is run by the whole of society and greening activities are undertaken through public efforts. In 1996, 500 million person/times took part in compulsory tree planting activities throughout the country with 2.5 billion trees being planted and a total of 4.92 million hectares afforested. By now, 12 provinces/autonomous regions have basically eliminated barren hills suitable for afforestation. The forest cover has risen from 12%in the 1970s up to the present 13.92%, The total forest growth has exceeded forest consumption, and the consecutive "dual increases" in both forested area and stocking volume have been achieved.

　　In a bid to speed up improvement of the ecosystems and the environment in china, the Chinese Ministry of Forestry has implemented, in succession, ten major technological forest programmes. Such programmes are the shelterbelt programmes in the "Three North" area (north, northeast and northwest china), along the coastline, in the upper and middle reaches of the Yangtze River and in middle reaches of the Yellow River- considerable ecological and social benefits have been achieved. For instance:

　　(1) under the Three North Shelterbelt Development programme, about 18.51 million hectares have been afforested bringing 20% of decertified land under control an d about 16 million hectares of farmland under the protection of forest networks;

　　(2)under the Coastal Shelterbelt Development programme, 2.06 million hectares have been afforested and a framework shelterbelt been established along the 18,000 kilometre-long coastline;

　　(3)under the programme for shelterbelt Development along the Upper and Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, an accumulated total of 4.74 million hectares have been afforested which has brought the forest cover in this region from the previous 19.9% up to 25%.

　　Other ecological programmes have also scored remarkable achievements. At present, china is planning for grand trans-century, trans-watershed and multi-provincial ecological programmes centering around the two watersheds of the Yangtze River and the Yellow River.

　　1.2 Strengthening protection of Forest Resources and Wild Fauna and Flora

　　Forest management and protection of forest resources by legal means is a consistent ideology in china's forestry development. While implementing such laws and regulations as the Forest Law, the Law of wildlife Conservation and the Implementing Regulations on wildlife conservation, efforts have also been made to revise the Criminal Law by adding provisions for punishing activities related to smuggling rare and precious animals whose import and export are banned by the state.

　　This year, China promulgated Regulations on protection of wild plants and has wasted no time in formulating the Law on combating Desertification and Regulations on the Import and Export Management of wild Fauna and Flora. In present day Chin a, and over 50,000 forestry management staff who constitute a complete forestry law enforcement system. For years we have been following a strict quota harvest system and a permit system for forest land use. Meanwhile, prevention and control of forest pests and control ratio of forest pests and diseases reached 70%, the damage ratio of forest fires merely 0.075%, which have been maintained at the lowest historical level for nine consecutive years.

　　Remarkable progress has been made in the conservation of wild fauna and flora. China has 574 nature reserves for the conservation of forests and wildlife, established over 400 ex-situ rare and precious conservation and breeding bases and germ plasm banks, and established rescue ad care centers for protection of endangered species nationwide. The law enforcement authorities in the forestry sector, tog ether with management authorities of wild fauna and flora and other judicial off ices, have investigated, prosecuted and cracked down on illegal hunting, fraudulent selling, and trafficking of rare and precious wildlife in a timely manner. At total of 18,000 wild life-related cases were investigated and prosecuted in 1995 and the first half or 1996. Vigorous measures have been taken to launch a firm crackdown on such cases as fraudulent selling of rhino horns, selling of genuine a firm crackdown on such cases as fraudulent selling of Asian elephants, trafficking of elephant's tusks and musk, and thus bringing trafficking of animals under effective control.

　　1.3 strengthening the Fight Against Desertification

　　Fighting desertifiction is an important component of forestry development. In19 91 the Ministry of Forestry issued the Outline of the National Action plan to Reclaim Deserts and Stabilize sands between1991 and 2000,which regards tree and grass planting as a fundamental measure for combating desertification and improving forestry development. By the end of last year, a total of 4.287 million hectare s of decertified land had been harnessed, including 1.42 million hectares of plantations, 1.216 million hectares of desert closure forests and grass growth, 312,0 00 hectares of forests and grass (established by way of aerial seeding), 49,000 hectares of water area developed.

　　The ecological environment in sandstorm-stricken areas has remarkably improved. For example:

　　(1) the forest and grass cover in Yulin prefecture, Shaanxi province has risen from18%in the early 1950s to 38.9%today,by way of tree and grass planting;

　　(2)the historic situation of people's retreat with sandstorms encroaching has bee n reversed, with 70% of desertified land harnessed annually. This has enabled it s forest cover to rise from less than 5%in the early 1950sto 21.2%today, with annual silt loss reduced by over a half.

　　1.4 Strengthening conservation and Management of wetland Resources

　　The Chinese government has taken the conservation of wetland resources as and imp wetland task in the implementation of its sustainable development strategy.

　　(1)continuous efforts have been made to organize experts in compiling "china National wetland conservation Action plan". A workshop was held and comments by specialists at home and abroad widely collected in a bid to improve the action plan. It is expected that the compilation will be completed in early 1998.

　　(2) Studies on wetland conservation resource monitoring, and application will have been carried out in a positive way and much research been achieved in the fields of classification, conservation, ecological study resource monitoring, pollution control, development and utilization of wetlands.

　　(3) The Technical Norms on Inventory and Monitoring of wetland Resources Nationwide (Draft) has been issued in an effort to provide guidance for inventory and monitoring of wetland resources nationwide. Conservation and management of wetland resources has been intensified. As a result, the number of nature reserves for wetlands has risen from 130in 1995 to the present 152 covering an area of 12.83mil lion hectares.

　　(4) In addition, management plans for the four nature reserves listed in the Ramsar List of wetlands of International lmportance have been compiled and published.

　　1.5 Strengthening Integrated Development in Mountainous Areas by combining Forestry Development with poverty Eradication

　　In 1996, a demonstration drive for nationwide integrated development in mountainous areas, focusing on soil improvement, water management, tree planting, road repair, and electricity supply, was launched in 24 typical mountainous counties. A tot al of RMB 580 million Yuan has been invested as supporting funds, and over100 million work-days put in. Over 45,000 hectares of shopping fields, and low-yield fields have been transformed in terraced fields or improved fields, with over 220,000 irrigation works completed, 90.000 hectares of plantations or fruit trees established, and a 5,120-kilometre highway built. The per capita income of farmers in the twenty four demonstration counties in 1996increased by 14% compared with 199 5,which is higher then the nation's average growth level.1997 has seen a rise in the number of demonstration counties for nationwide integrated development in mountainous to fifty-nine counties.

　　2.Progressin the Implementation of International conventions

　　It is common responsibility of signatory countries to implement international conventions and intensify conservations of natural resources. For years the Chinese government has attached great importance to this issue and made enormous effort s in this respect.

　　2.1progress in the Implementation of CITES

　　To have a sound implementation of the convention, china has expanded the Administrative Office for Import and Export Management of Endangered species of the people's Republic of China, increasing its working body to 17 persons, with the support of 130permaent staff members. In addition to research institutes such as the endangered wildlife research institutes in northeastern, northwestern and southern china, a wild Testing Center has been set up in the wildlife Resources Northeast Forestry University to test and identify wild fauna and flora. In light meantime, me have actively conducted the national inventory of resources. In light of nationwide inventory of species resource covering bear, leopard cat, lynx, snakes and musk in the early 1990's, the nationwide inventory of wild resources was con ducted last year, which is expected to end of this century in order to lay a foundation for a sound implementation of CITES.

　　Efforts have also been made to take an active part in activities of the convention to further international and regional cooperation. Chinese delegates have participated actively in the conferences of the parties to the convention, the meetings of the standing committee and other related activities, as well as conscientiously fulfilled the obligations under the convention. Especially at a meeting convened by Interpol, China took the lead in supporting the adoption of the resolution on cracking down on wildlife smuggling and has made its due contribution to the implementation convention activities. Since last year, we have had frequent contacts and exchanges with Hong Kong Management Authority to make active and beneficial arrangements for future implementation of the Convention in Hong Kong.

　　2.2 progress in the Implementation of United Nations Convention to combat Desertification (UNCCD)

　　The Chinese government has incorporated the fight against desertification into China's Master plan for National Economic and social Development, developed china's National committee and its senior Expert Advisory Group to Implement the UN Convention to Combat Desertification. More effective measures have been taken to strengthen project activities in the programme, and the project for capacity Building and Demonstration for Implementing the UN Convention to combat Desertification (CPR/96/111) between the Chinese Government and the UNDP has been launched.

　　The Asian Ministerial conference on the Implementation of UNCCD was successfully held in Beijing in May of this year and the Beijing Declaration was published. President Zhang zemin met the heads of delegations attending the conference, and a monitoring network to combat desertification in the Asian region will be se t up in Beijing.

　　Efforts have been made to carry out extensively training and publicity activities on combating deserification. Training courses on the monitoring of desertification have been organized by the Chinese Training Center on combating Desferification and about 1,000 people have participated in the intermediate and primary training courses on desertification combating in Ningxia and Inner Mongolia autonomous regions. In order to raise public awareness of combating desertification, various mass media have been used to publicize the great significance of the "World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought' (June17). Especially in May and June this year, the huge and grand activity of a million peoples' signature to observe the World Day to Combat Desertification and drought on June 17,1997,was organized, which has aroused the concern of people from all over the country.

　　2.3 Progress in the Implementation of the Ramsar convention

　　The International workshop on wetland and waterbird conservation in North East Asia has been held. At this time, the Beidaihe Declaration was published under ht e support of relevant countries and intentional organizations, and the North East Asian Crane site Network established.

　　During the implementation process of the Ramsar Convention, the Chinese government has continuously expanded cooperation with countries and international organizations concerned. Cooperative activities have been carried out with such international organizations as WWF, WI, UNDP, IUCN, CITES secretariat, and so forth, in the fields of the conservation of wetland fauna and flora, the conduct of wetland surveys, the establishment of wetland nature reserves, and staff training. Remarkable achievements have been made to order to ensure the wise use of wetland resources, efforts are being made to cooperate with relevant international organizations in the pre-project preparation of the GEF project: Wetland Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Utilization in China. The Project Steering Committee composed of relevant departments of the Chinese government has been established, a number of project demonstration areas have been selected, and project proposals for the demonstration areas have been completed by the provinces and autonomous regions concerned.

　　2.4 Progress in the Implementation of Bilateral and Multilateral Agreements

　　Since the 1980's the Chinese government has signed, wit countries concerned, such agreements as the sino-Japanese and Sino-Australian Agreements for Protection of Migratory Birds, Sino-American Nature Conservation protocol, Sino-Indian protocol for tiger, and the Agreement for Joint Prevention and Control of Forest Fires between the Chinese and Russian Governments. China has always fulfilled its obligations and responsibilities seriously, and held at regular and irregular intervals bilateral working meetings to exchange view s and cooperate with other countries in the fields of technology, information, economy and training.

　　In 1996, China signed the Agreement on Xingkaihu Nature Reserve between the Chinese and Russian Governments. The two sides will establish jointly Xingkaihu Nature Reserve in Chinese and Russian border area. In July 1996, the China Wildlife Conservation Association and the Zoological Society of San Diego signed the Agreement on Cooperative Research and Breeding of Giant Pandas. Practical progress has been made as a result of cooperative research efforts over the past year.

　　In addition, some specific cooperative projects in the fields of forest cultivation and wildlife conservation have been developed between china and other international organizations and count1ies, which have provided economic assistance. Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere thanks to t hem and welcome more international organizations and countries to cooperate with us in wider fields.

　　This concludes my brief introduction to the progress we in the Ministry of Forestry have made in the implementation of china's Agenda 21 and relevant international conventions. In the years to come, we will, as always, do our utmost to make greater progress.

　　Thank you