China and the United States signed an agreement here on
Thursday, outlining their collaboration to enhance the
effectiveness of environmental protection laws and regulations
covering imports and exports.
China's quality watchdog chief Li Changjiang and U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator Stephen L.
Johnson signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) at the Third
China-U.S. Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED), which began on
Wednesday and will run through Thursday.
Joint efforts will be made to regulate the import and export
products between the United States and China, such as monitoring
wastes and recycling materials, guarantee the security of
chemicals, and check pesticide residues, according to the MOU
between China's General Administration of Quality, Supervision,
Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) and the U.S. EPA.
Joint activities should also be carried out, such as testing
program development, cooperative research and information sharing,
and training, according to sources close to the senior
officials.
The MOU is effective for five years and may be extended with
mutual agreement.
AQSIQ officials said the MOU would help build mutual contacts
and form effective mechanisms to resolve problems and promote the
healthy development of mutual trade.
(Xinhua News Agency December 13, 2007)
