The Launching Ceremony of "China—ASEAN Environmental Cooperation Center" organized by Ministry of Environmental Protection and undertaken by China—ASEAN Environmental Cooperation Center was held in Beijing today. MEP Minister Zhou Shengxian attended the activity and gave a keynote speech titled "Strengthen cooperation and achieve win-win situation— Developing the bridge for environmental protection cooperation". Minister Zhou Shengxian and Misran Karmain, Deputy Secretary General of ASEAN jointly unveiled the plate for China—ASEAN Environmental Cooperation Center.
In his speech, MEP Minister Zhou Shengxian pointed out that following the path of sustainable development is a firm option of China. Over the past five years, the Chinese Government has put environmental protection to a more important strategic position and put forward important strategies such as development of ecological civilization, promotion of historic transformations of environmental protection, ecological rehabilitation of rivers and lakes, environmental protection being an important welfare for the people and exploration of new path to environmental protection with Chinese characteristics with remarkable progress in environmental protection. The future five years will be the years full of hope of environmental protection cause in China and key period for overcoming difficulties. Centering on the theme of scientific development, mainline of shifting economic development mode and new requirements for uplifting ecological civilization, environmental protection work should actively explore new path to environmental protection with Chinese characteristics. China will strive for 16% reduction of energy consumption per unit GDP; 17% reduction of CO2 emission; 8% reduction of SO2 emission and COD discharge; 10% reduction of ammonia nitrogen and NOx emission by 2015 compared with that of 2010 with significant improvement of eco environment.
MEP Minister Zhou Shengxian pointed out, China and ASEAN countries are linked by common mountains and rivers and most belong to developing countries and newly industrialized countries. We are facing many challenges in the field of environment and development. Facilitating harmony and integration of regional economy, society and environment and achieving regional sustainable development have been the theme of the dialogue and cooperation between China and ASEAN. The 6th China-ASEAN Summit in November of 2002 has signed the Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation between the People's Republic of China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which clearly encourages environmental cooperation. In 2007, Premier Wen Jiabao advocated the establishment of "China—ASEAN Environmental Cooperation Center" at the 11th China-ASEAN Summit to make concerted efforts to the development of resource-saving and environment-friendly East Asia. Up to now, environmental protection cooperation has developed an important field in China-ASEAN cooperation. The bilateral dialogue is deepening with increasing improvement of communication mechanism and continuous achievements.
MEP Minister Zhou Shengxian said, this year is the 20th anniversary of the establishment of China—ASEAN dialogue relations. The official inception of China—ASEAN Environmental Cooperation Center is of great significance to deepening bilateral cooperation. He hoped that China—ASEAN Environmental Cooperation Center will give full play of its role as a window, bridge and platform and make contributions to China—ASEAN environmental cooperation. He put forward the following three suggestions on further promotion of China—ASEAN environmental cooperation: 1) Actively carry out "China-ASEAN Strategy on Environmental Protection Cooperation 2009~2015" and identify China —ASEAN Action Plan for Environmental Cooperation as soon as possible to ensure sharing the benefits of bilateral cooperation. 2) Carry out "China —ASEAN Green Envoy Program". We should facilitate the cooperation in areas such as environment-friendly technology, environment labeling and clean production; promote dialogue in the field of sustained production and consumption; actively carry out demonstration projects on environmental cooperation; strengthen capacity building in regional environmental protection; and develop the "China —ASEAN Demonstration Platform for Environmental Cooperation". With multi-level communications among the governments, enterprises and society, we will facilitate the improvement of public environmental awareness. 3) Strengthen dialogue and cooperation on global and regional environmental issues and beef up our communications and cooperation in areas such as climate change, conservation of biodiversity, POPs, illegal transboundary movement of hazardous waste, transportation of air pollutants and management of water environment.
MEP Vice Minister Li Ganjie chaired the activity. Misran Karmain, Deputy Secretary General of ASEAN and Mr. Hu Zhengyue, assistant minister of Ministry of Foreign Affairs attended the activity and gave a speech.
Foreign representatives from ASEAN embassies in China, relevant countries and Beijing Office of international organizations, Chinese representatives from ministries and commissions such as Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Commerce and local representatives from regions such as Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Yunnan Province attended the activity.