The United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP) opened its China office on Friday in Beijing
to strengthen its cooperation with the nation in the field of
environmental protection.
At the opening ceremony,
UNEP Executive Director Klaus Toepfer cited China's large
population, its rapid economic development and the more prominent
role it plays in the world as reasons for opening the
office.
Personnel at the office
will work closely with China's State Environmental Protection
Administration (SEPA) and other ministries, international agencies
and non-governmental organizations to cover various
environment-related issues, according to a source with
UNEP.
They will also develop
and support projects under the Global Environment Facility, an
international fund to address key global environmental issues such
as climate change, biodiversity and land degradation.
SEPA Vice-Minister Zhu
Guangyao said at the ceremony the office will get full support from
the Chinese side.
Earlier on Friday, the
first Asia-Pacific Sub-regional Environmental Policy Dialogue was
held in Beijing, The round table meeting was attended by ministers
and environmental experts.
Representatives
discussed strategies for environmental protection in the
Asia-Pacific region and other related issues.
(China Daily September
20, 2003)