Laws of the People's Republic of China

    Article 1  These Regulations are formulated for the purpose of
strengthening the supervision and control of the production, management
and application of agricultural chemicals, ensuring the quality of
agricultural chemicals, protecting the agricultural and forestry
production, ecological environment, and maintaining the safety of human
beings and animals.

    Article 2  Agricultural chemicals referred to in these Regulations mean
mixtures or preparations of one or more substances by chemical synthesis
or originating from organisms or other natural substances with the intent to
prevent, eliminate or put under control plant diseases, insect pests, weeds
or other living beings harmful to agriculture and forestry and to purposely
regulate the growth of plants and insects.

    Agricultural chemicals prescribed in the preceding paragraph include the
following categories used for different purposes or sites:

    (1) to prevent, eliminate or put under control plant diseases, insect
pests (including insects, ticks and mites), weeds, rats, molluscs and other
living beings harmful to agriculture and forestry;

    (2) to prevent, eliminate or put under control diseases, insect pests,
rats and other harmful living beings in warehouses;

    (3) to regulate the growth of plants and insects;

    (4) to be used as antiseptics or preservatives of agricultural products or
forest products;

    (5) to prevent, eliminate or put under control mosquitoes, flies,
cockroaches, rats and other harmful living beings; and

    (6) to prevent, eliminate or put under control living beings harmful to
dykes and dams, railways, airports, buildings and other sites.

    Article 3  The production, management and application
of agricultural chemicals within the territory of the People's Republic of
China shall observe these Regulations.

    Article 4  The State encourages and supports research, production and
application of agricultural chemicals that are safe, highly efficacious and
economical.

    Article 5  The agricultural department under the State Council shall be
responsible for the registration, supervision and control of agricultural
chemicals throughout the country. The agricultural departments of people's
governments of provinces, autonomous regions or municipalities directly under
the Central Government shall assist the agricultural department under the
State Council in the registration of agricultural chemicals, and shall be
responsible for the supervision and control of agricultural chemicals within
their respective administrative regions. The agricultural departments of
people's governments at the county level and in municipalities with
subordinate districts or autonomous prefectures shall be responsible for
the supervision and control of agricultural chemicals within their respective
administrative regions.

    The chemical industry department under the State Council shall be
responsible for the overall planning, coordination, guidance, supervision
and administration of the production of agricultural chemicals. The chemical
industry departments of people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions
or municipalities directly under the Central Government shall be responsible
for the supervision and administration of the production of agricultural
chemicals within their respective administrative regions.