China, Japan and Korea Hold Second Tripartite Environment Ministerial
A February 2000 report from U.S. Embassy Beijing
China State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) minister Xie Zhenhua, Japanese Environment Agency Director General Shimizu Kayoko and Korean Environment Minister Kim Myung-Ja met in Beijing February 26-27 to discuss Northeast Asia regional environmental issues. This was the second meeting of environment ministers from the three countries under the so-called TEMM process (Tripartite Environment Ministers Meeting), the first having been convened in January 1999 in Seoul at the initiative of then Environment Minister Choi Jae-Wook.
The first meeting identified six priority areas for cooperation:
This second meeting reiterated these priorities and also addressed desertification, acid rain and biodiversity.
The ministers expressed their desire to move beyond the talking stage and begin to implement concrete cooperation projects. They agreed to convene a working-level meeting in June, probably in Beijing, to develop specific work proposals in areas such as fresh water, land-based sources of marine pollution, air pollution and acid rain. The joint communiqué adopted at the meeting speaks of promoting exchanges not only among the central governments but also among scientific and research institutes, enterprises and NGOs.
The ministers also had an audience with Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji February 26. The meeting was scheduled to run 20 minutes but lasted nearly 40, according to a participant. Press reports said Zhu expressed support for regional environmental cooperation and underscored China’s recent stress on environmental protection.
Text of the joint communiqué of the second tripartite meeting of environment ministers among China, Japan and Korea follows:
1. At the invitation of Mr. Xie Zhenhua, Minister of the State Environmental Protection Administration of the People’s Republic of China, Minister Shimizu Kayoko of the Environment Agency of Japan and Minister Kim Myung-Ja of the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Korea visited Beijing, where the three ministers held the Second Tripartite Environment Ministers Meeting (TEMM) on 26-27 February, 2000. The ministers also paid a courtesy call to His Excellency Premier Zhu Rongji at the state guesthouse on 26 February, 2000.
2. The ministers reaffirmed TEMM as an important forum for fostering regional environmental cooperation and sustainable development. The ministers shared the view that they should contribute to the success of important regional and global environmental meetings to be held, including the 4th Ministerial Conference on Environment and Development in Asia and the Pacific (MCED), and the comprehensive review of Agenda 21 to be scheduled in 2002.
3. The ministers noted that TEMM has produced positive effects. They shared the view on the importance of adopting appropriate methods and utilizing appropriate channels to further enhance the active role of TEMM in advancing environmental cooperation.
4. The ministers reviewed the efforts made by the three countries since the 1st TEMM in Seoul, in environmental protection, regional cooperation and the progress achieved in the six priority cooperation areas set out at the 1st TEMM. They noted that TEMM has promoted environmental cooperation at various levels and that it is necessary to further promote exchanges and cooperation of various forms, including among central governments, science and research institutes, industrial enterprises, and NGOs.
5. The ministers also expressed their wishes to have more concrete project-style cooperation among their three countries in the above-mentioned priority areas. They reaffirmed their wishes that the three countries would continue developing projects at working level, in particular projects of raising consciousness of environmental community, fresh water (lake) pollution and land-based marine pollution prevention and cooperation in the field of environmental industry, about which the three countries have already initiated concept project proposals for cooperation.
6. The ministers also discussed various issues of common concern, including air, water and marine pollution, biodiversity, combating desertification and climate change issues.
7. For air pollution issue, the ministers commended the efforts of the three countries in promoting the ongoing cooperation projects, such as Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia (EANET), the three countries’ joint research project on long-range transportation of air pollutants (LTP) and the establishment of a sub-regional center in the Republic of Korea for environmental pollution data monitoring and analysis. The ministers expressed their hope that the three projects would go into a further step of implementation as planned.
8. For marine environmental management issue, the ministers recognized the importance of promoting various activities under the action plan for the protection, management and development of the marine and coastal environment of the Northwest Pacific Region (NOWPAP).
9. The ministers noted with appreciation the progress made by their three countries in addressing climate change, and affirmed the common recognition that all parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) should further strengthen their domestic efforts and international cooperation, in accordance with their common. But differentiated responsibilities, respective capabilities, and their social and economic conditions, in order to achieve its ultimate objective. The ministers indicated their intention to make efforts for a successful outcome of the 6th Conference of Parties to UNFCCC and bring the Kyoto Protocol into force as early as possible.
10. For ecological and biodiversity issues, the ministers shared the recognition that habitat conservation and restoration of damaged ecosystem are essential for conserving biodiversity, about which the collecting and sharing, as appropriate, of information on the fauna and flora are also important.
11. For water issue, the ministers shared the recognition that sustainable water resources management, ensuring environmentally sound water cycle, securing safe water resources as a basis for development and enabling efficient water use, are regional as well as global concerns. In this context, joint cooperation on this issue could contribute to the global efforts could bring a positive message to international environmental forums.
12. The ministers decided that the next TEMM would be held in Japan. The date and venue will be proposed by the host country and then confirmed with the other countries. In addition, the ministers shared the view that they would meet on the occasion of international forums attended by all three ministers.
13. The ministers expressed their satisfaction with the friendly atmosphere and the achievements of this year's meeting. Minister Shimizu Kayoko and Minister Kim Myung-Ja expressed their gratitude to the host country for its kind and warmest hospitality.
Shimizu Kayoko
Minister of State, Director General of Environment Agency
Government of Japan
Kim Myung-Ja
Minister, Ministry of Environment
Republic of Korea
Xie Zhenhua
Minister, State Environmental Protection Administration
People's Republic of China