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CIRCULAR OF THE GENERAL OFFICE OF THE STATE COUNCIL ON TRANSMITTING SUGGESTIONS OF THE STATE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE STATE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COMMISSION ON FURTHER PROMOTING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CHINA AGENDA FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

    The State Council has agreed to the Suggestions of the State Planning
Commission and the State Science and Technology Commission on further
Promoting the Implementation of the China Agenda for the 21st Century, and
hereby transmits it to you for your conscientious implementation in the light
of local and departmental situations.
APPENDIX: SUGGESTIONS ON FURTHER PROMOTING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CHINA
AGENDA FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

    With a view to conscientiously implementing the gist of the Fifth Plenary
Session of the 14th Central Committee of the Party and the Fourth Session of
the Eighth National People's Congress, carrying out the prescriptions of the
Circular of the State Council on the Implementation of the China Agenda for
the 21st Century, the White Book of China on Population, Environment and
Development in the 21st Century, and further promoting the execution of the
China Agenda for the 21st Century, the following suggestions are hereby put
forward:

    1. to make the sustainable development an important strategy in the
construction of modernization

    (1) Sustainable development means that consideration should be given to
the needs for both present and future development and development in the
interest of the present generation should not be achieved at the expense of
future generation's interests. Sustainable development also means coordinated
development of population, economy, society, resources and environment, that
is to say, while the goal of economic development is pursued, natural
resources and environment on which the human beings rely for existence should
be protected so that our future generations could enjoy the development
forever, live in harmony and work contentedly.

    (2) The approach of sustainable development is a inevitable choice for our
country's construction of modernization. Our country has a large population.
Per capita resources are of a small quantity. Economy and technology are at
relatively low level. With the growth of population and the development of
economy, many places suffer from serious environmental pollution and worsening
of ecological environment. Therefore, great value should be attached to
population control, resources saving and environmental protection. The growth
of population should conform with the development of social productivity. In
this way economic construction and social progress could be coordinated with
population, resources and environment, and a virtuous cycle could be realized.

    (3) The China Agenda for the 21st Century has laid down, in the light of
our country's circumstances, general strategies, policies and executive
programmes for sustainable development, and is an instructive document for
smooth development of our economy and society into the 21st century. The
strategy of sustainable development is of significant value for economic,
social development and even for the whole modernization construction over the
next 15 years.

    2. to realize the China agenda for the 21st Century so as to promote the
basic transformations of economic system and economic growth form

    (1) Both the Fifth Plenary Session of the 14th Central Committee of the
Party and the Fourth Session of the Eighth National People's Congress
emphasized the point that the future work on economy shall ensure for two
basic transformations of economic system and economic growth form that are of
overall significance. Under the socialist market economy system, giving full
play to the basic role of the market in resources distribution will help raise
the efficiency of resources exploitation and reduce material consumption and
is therefore beneficial to environmental and resources protection. On the
other hand, the spontaneity and blindness of the market will to some extent
hamper the coordinated development of economy, resources and environment. In
the course of the implementation of the China Agenda for the 21st century,
full play should be given to the basic role of the market in resources
distribution while macro-control shall also be strengthened so as to promote
the basic transformation of economic system and economic growth form.

    (2) The implementation of the China Agenda for the 21st Century shall be
combined with carrying out the gist of the Fifth Plenary Session of the 14th
Central Committee of the Party and the Fourth Session of the Eighth National
People's Congress. Establishment of such an enterprise operational system
should be promoted that helps save resources, reduce consumption, increase
efficiency and improve environment, as well as establishment of a
technological advance mechanism that conduces to self reliance, and an
economic operational mechanism that encourages fair competition on market and
optimum distribution of resources. By this way the economy and society of our
country could be advanced to the pattern of sustainable development.

    (3) The China Agenda for the 21st Century emphasizes the positive role of
technological advance in the fields of population, economy, society, resources
and environment. Each locality and each department should attach great
importance to the work of technological advance and adopt vigorous measures to
promote transformation of scientific and technological achievements and
development of technology in respect of clean production, clean sources of
energy and effective utilization of energy resources as well as technology of
rational resources exploitation, comprehensive resources utilization and
environmental protection. Much effort should be made to do soft science
research on key construction projects, regions and industries in order to lend
scientific and technological support to people's governments at different
levels in economic and social administration.

    (4) The principle of practising economy at the same time of exploiting
resources should be followed in economic and social development. Saving of
land, water, energy, raw materials and food must be required in production,
construction, circulation, consumption and other activities. Occupation and
consumption of resources should be reduced by every possible means and
efficiency of use of resources, energy and raw materials be raised by a big
margin, and pollution arising from production be reduced and eliminated. Each
locality and each department shall, in accordance with the requirements for
sustainable development and within the framework of the Ninth-Five-Year Plan
on National Economy and Social Development and Outlines of Long-Term
Objectives in Perspective of the Year 2010, formulate detailed programmes and
measures for economizing on resources by stages and implement them seriously
in their routine duties.

    (5) People's governments at different levels shall regard the
implementation of the sustainable development strategy as a major means to
transform agricultural growth form. By combining this task with the
construction of agricultural, forestry and hydraulic infrastructure and the
popularization of "high yield, quality and efficiency" engineering and
ecological agriculture, they could adjust the agricultural structure,
optimize the combination of productive elements, step out the application of
scientific and technological achievements for agricultural development,
protect agricultural ecological environment, promote the sustainable
utilization of agricultural resources and advance comprehensive agricultural
productive forces for the purpose of lead agriculture to a sustainable
development path.

    (6) People's governments at different levels should conscientiously
observe laws and regulations on resources management and environmental
protection, reinforce enforcement of law, take different and effective
measures to strictly control occupation of arable land by construction,
prevent from desertization of land and deterioration of grassland, strenuously
enlarge coverage of forest vegetation, rationally utilize and protect water
and marine resources, and gradually improve ecological environment. Control
over environmental pollution in cities and towns shall be strengthened,
especially in seriously polluted cities or districts which should be the focal
points of work, with a view to ensuring the realization of objectives on
environmental protection as laid down in the Ninth-Five-Year Plan on National
Economy and Social Development and Outlines of Long-Term Objectives in
Perspective of the Year 2010.

    3. to introduce the basic gist and contents of the China Agenda for the
21st Century into all regional and departmental plans for national economy and
social development

    (1) All localities and departments should, in accordance with the
requirements of the State Council, include the basic gist and contents of the
China Agenda for the 21st Century in their respective regional or departmental
plan for national economy and social development, and, in the light of their
own characteristics and major issues they are faced with, make detailed action
programmes for sustainable development.

    (2) The China Agenda for the 21st Century should be carried out by stages
through national economy and social development planning. People's governments
at different levels and relevant departments of the State Council should
vigorously create conditions and render priority to major projects for fixed
assets investment that are conducive to the realization of sustainable
development strategy. Examination and approval of fixed assets investment
shall be conducted in terms of requirements of sustainable development
strategy. Those that do not meet the requirements should be modified and
improved, and may not be granted approval otherwise.

    (3) People's governments at different levels and relevant departments of
the State Council should take into full consideration the requirements of
sustainable development proposed in the China Agenda for the 21st Century when
making decisions concerning social development and economic growth, and make
assessment on economic and social development policies and plans in terms of
strategic ideas of sustainable development so as to avoid gross mistakes.

    (4) All localities should construct cities and towns under the guidance of
sustainable development strategy. They should properly continue their trials
and go on to do more comprehensive experiments with sustainable development
strategy, on selected administrative districts of a new group of small-,
medium- and large-sized towns and cities, which boast relative economic
strength and have typical and representative value as models so that a city
development pattern with Chinese characteristics could be found out. During
the course of trials, special attention should be paid to sustainable
development of impoverished regions.

    (5) All localities and departments should strengthen leadership over the
implementation of the China Agenda for the 21st Century, specify
administrative organs held responsible for the work within their jurisdiction
and improve the comprehensive coordination competence. They should arrange
necessary funds for the implementation of the China Agenda for the 21st
Century and provide necessary working conditions.

    4. to inspire the sustainable development ideology in all the people and
to establish and perfect corresponding mechanisms

    (1) Education on sustainable development strategy should be strengthened.
Educational departments at different levels should introduce the strategic
ideology of sustainable development into the whole education process from
primary to higher learning. Primary and high schools should have such contents
as population control, sustainable application of resources and environmental
protection included in relevant courses and after-class readings. The subject
of sustainable development should be listed in the curriculum of higher
education and adult education.

    (2) Publicity and dissemination of sustainable development science and
technology should be strengthened. The State Planning Commission and the State
Science and Technology Commission should as soon as possible compile popular
readings on the China Agenda for the 21st Century. People's governments at
different levels should make plans for dissemination, make full use of local
mass media such as television, film, broadcasting, newspapers, journals and
books to vigorously spread the strategic ideology of sustainable development.
They should also organize, in conjunction with the Five-Ones-Project for
socialist spiritual civilization construction, the creation of a group of
excellent works to demonstrate the strategic ideology of sustainable
development. Different academic departments and research societies should
mobilize experts and academicians to participate in popularization of the
sustainable development strategy.

    (3) Management cadres, particularly leading cadres at different levels
should be trained with sustainable development theories. Different regions and
departments should, through cadre training schools, workshops and lectures
etc., inspire the China Agenda for the 21st Century into cadres at different
levels so that they could improve knowledge and understanding of sustainable
development strategy.

    (4) Relevant statutes and policies regarding sustainable development
strategy should be considered, formulated and revised. Research on theories of
sustainable development should be conducted and an information system of
international connection should be gradually developed. Where conditions
permit, localities or departments may, in the light of their practical
circumstances, design a sustainable development index and try its application
within the localities or departments. In the course of the implementation of
the China Agenda for the 21st Century, different regions and department should
strengthen information communication and exchange of experiences.

    (5) Relevant mechanisms should be established so as to guarantee the
smooth execution of the China Agenda for the 21st Century. A series of
management procedures should be studied, formulated, improved and perfected,
including procedures through which the strategic ideas of sustainable
development could be absorbed by decision-making processes, and procedures
regarding the assessment of economic and social development policies and
projects in terms of sustainable development requirements. By this way
relevant contents of the China Agenda for the 21st Century could be smoothly
executed. Where conditions permit, reports on national economy and social
development should also include a special topic on the assessment of
implementation of the China Agenda for the 21st Century. Planning
administrative organs of different departments and local people's governments
shall be held in charge of overall assessment of sustainable development.

    5. to strengthen international cooperation to facilitate the execution of
the China Agenda for the 21st Century

    (1) Sustainable development is an inevitable requirement for development
of human society, and has become a major common concern of international
community. With sustainable development being now a hot field for
international cooperation, different localities and departments should take
full advantage of the opportunity and, through wide propaganda, broaden
international cooperation channels so as to pursue international aid and
support, extensively attract foreign investment, and facilitate the
implementation of the China Agenda for the 21st Century.

    (2) Attempts for international cooperation should reflect the point that
our country highly values the strategy of sustainable development. Relevant
model projects and construction projects intended to improve our country's
competence for sustainable development should be included in different
national plans for international cooperation.