Only through cooperation and engagement can we hope to meet our pressing global environmental challenges. The U.S.-China statement comes two months after a joint statement by the United States and India that also pledged stronger cooperation to address climate change and other environmental concerns. On trade issues, today's statement notes that China's entry into the World Trade Organization could advance its clean energy and environmental protection efforts by accelerating the greater use of environmentally-sound technologies in China. The U.S.-China Forum on Environment and Development was established in 1997 to expand bilateral cooperation and dialogue on sustainable development and environmental protection. Its third session, a minister-level meeting, was held in Honolulu in January 2000.
Plans are underway for a fourth session in China.
Through the activities of the working groups, the U.S. and China are now cooperating to ensure continued trade in biotechnology products that do not harm the environment, to develop cleaner production methods as well as cleaner and more efficient sources of energy, to minimize air pollution and its effects on human health, and to mitigate and reduce the effects of natural disasters. Return to The United States and China . Return to IIP Home Page .