The China-U.S. Joint Committee on Environmental Protection held the 2nd meeting in Beijing on December 14. SEPA Minister Zhou Shengxian and U.S. Administrator of Environmental Protection Agency Mr. Johnson co-chaired the meeting and delivered remarks.

First of all, on behalf of his Administration, Mr. Zhou gave a warm welcome to Mr. Johnson and his retinue and introduced to them the breathtaking changes happening in the strategic thoughts, policies and actions of the Chinese Government in the environment field. He said, the 17th National Congress of the CPC, which was held in October, placed the environmental protection in a more prominent strategic status, developed the strategies and policy regimes for the environment in the context of new situations and at a new phase, and proposed a group of policies and opinions on building a resource-saving and environment-friendly society, building ecological civilization, and promoting the harmonious development of man and nature, which fully indicated that as one of the basic national policies environmental protection has been mainstreamed into the country's economic development. Thanks to the unremitting efforts of all walks of the society, the first three quarters of this year saw decreases in emissions of the two major pollutants, and the emissions reduction has made great progress.

Mr. Zhou said that the enhanced cooperation between China and the U.S., the largest developing country and developed country respectively, would not only benefit the two countries, but also mean a lot to the world sustainable development. With the close concern of the top leaders from both sides, environmental issue had been one of the key topics at the China-U.S. Strategic Economic Dialogue, and the environmental authorities of both sides had conducted down-to-earth, effective cooperation based on mutual benefits. 

Mr. Johnson highly commented the country's breathtaking progress made in energy saving and emissions reduction and extended his appreciation towards SEPA for its efforts in bilateral ties in environment field. He said, with the bilateral efforts, the two countries had laid a solid foundation for environmental cooperation, which was constantly consolidated by guidance of the Joint Committee and the pragmatic actions taken by the task forces. There would be a great potential for bilateral cooperation and a bright future. He believed that the deepening bilateral cooperation would not only benefit the people of the two countries, but also contribute more to the development of the world environmental cause.

The topic work forces of the Joint Committee reported to the meeting on the progress of the cooperation on four areas, i.e., water, air, and toxic substances pollution control, and the management of solid wastes and hazardous wastes as well as on the future work plans. They also exchanged views on the negotiations of new annexes about to be signed in field of environmental legislation and supervision of law enforcement and on the future working schemes. Both sides agreed that the 3rd Joint Committee would be held in the U.S. in 2009.

After the meeting, Mr. Zhou and Mr. Johnson signed the New Annexes to the Cooperation on Environmental Legislation and Law Enforcement Supervision and the Joint Declaration of the 2nd Meeting of China-U.S. Joint Committee on Environmental Cooperation.