ASEAN-China environmental ties enhanced

A two-day seminar on environmental cooperation between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) concluded in Beijing on Thursday.

Officials from China's Environmental Protection Ministry, the Finance Ministry, Foreign Affairs, and environmental officials from 10 members of ASEAN participated in the seminar.

The seminar, which marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the strategic partnership between ASEAN and China, reviewed the progress in environmental cooperation over the past decade.

In 2003, ASEAN and China signed the Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity.

At the 11th China-ASEAN Summit in 2007, environmental cooperation was made a priority.

At the 13th China-ASEAN Summit in 2010, the ASEAN-China Leaders' Joint Statement on Sustainable Development was adopted. This saw both parties commit to actively implement a six-year strategic plan.

In 2011, a more detailed action plan to implement the strategy on environmental cooperation between 2011 and 2013 was signed.

The participants also discussed the action plan for 2014 to 2016 on Thursday.