1.1 This century has seen remarkable advances in the development of science and technology and in social productivity. The abundant material wealth created by mankind is unprecedented and it has resulted in a rapid development of civilization. However, aggravations caused by population expansion, excessive consumption of resources and global environmental problems such as pollution, reduced biodiversity and increased gap between north and south, have seriously hampered the development of economies and improvements in people's quality of life, and are even threatening human existence itself. Given the pressures of these harsh realities, mankind has no choice but to re-examine its social and economic behaviour and its path of development. Traditional ideas of considering economic growth solely in quantitative terms and the traditional development mode of "polluting first and treating later" are no longer appropriate when considering present and future requirements for development. It is now necessary to find a path for development, wherein considerations of population, economy, society, natural resources, and the environment are coordinated as a whole, so that a path for non-threatening sustainable development can be found which will meet current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.

1.2 Formulating and implementing China's Agenda 21 and taking the path of sustainable development are choices China must make in order to ensure its future development into the next century. Because China is a developing country, the goals of increasing social productivity, enhancing overall national strength and improving people's quality of life can not be realized without giving primacy to the development of the national economy and having all work focused on building the economy. China has been undergoing rapid economic growth, despite the weak fundamentals of having a very large population, insufficient per capita resources and relatively low levels of economic development and science and technology capabilities. Such growth has made the already insufficient resources and fragile environment face even greater pressures. Given this situation, the Chinese Government can only consider strategies for development that are sustainable and only by coordinating the work of all segments of society can it successfully reach its already defined second and third strategic objectives of quadrupling its GNP against that of 1980 by the end the century and increasing per capita GNP to the levels of moderately developed countries. At the same time, it will be necessary to conserve natural resources and to improve the environment, so that the country will see long-term, stable development.

1.3 In June of 1992, the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio de Janeiro adopted five important documents, including the Rio Declaration and Agenda 21. These documents express new thinking about the sustainable development of human society, and reflect both political commitments at the highest level and a global consensus on the need for extensive cooperation with respect to the environment and development. Agenda 21 calls for all nations to develop and put into effect their own national strategies, plans and policies for sustainable development, and to be prepared to deal with the common challenges facing humankind. Consequently, the implementation of Agenda 21 will not only help individual countries to embark on the path of sustainable development, but it will also be a new beginning for greater international cooperation, faster economic development and a better global environment.

1.4 The Chinese Government attaches great importance to the United Nations Conference on the Environment and Development (UNCED). Chinese Premier Li Peng attended the Conference and made a commitment to conscientiously implement resolutions adopted at the Conference. Not long after the UNCED, the Chinese Government put forward "Ten Policies" for promoting environmental protection and development in China. At the 23rd session of the Environmental Protection Committee of the State Council held on 2 July 1992, it was decided that the State Planning Commission and the State Science and Technology Commission should take the lead in organizing all appropriate ministries, departments, and non-government organizations to work together to formulate China's Agenda 21--"White Paper on China's Population, Environment, and Development in the 21st Century" (hereinafter called "China's Agenda 21"). Under the guidance of the Environmental Protection Committee, a leading group co- chaired by a deputy minister of the State Science and Technology Commission and a deputy minister of the State Planning Commission was set up in August 1992. The terms of reference for the leading group were to organize and guide the formulation of China's Agenda 21 and its associated Priority Programs. At the same time, a working group composed of 52 ministries and agencies and more than 300 experts was also established. "The Administrative Centre for China's Agenda 21" was established jointly by the State Planning Commission and the State Science and Technology Commission to deal with routine management matters. Through concerted efforts, a first draft of China's Agenda 21, with 120 thousand Chinese characters and 40 chapters, was completed in April 1993. This draft defined 80 Program areas for sustainable development strategies, policies and frameworks for action related to population, economy, society, resources, and the environment in China. After extensive solicitation of comments from appropriate ministries and agencies of the State Council and experts both at home and abroad, with modifications suggested by both Chinese and foreign teams of experts, China's Agenda 21 has been finalized. This existing revised text has 20 chapters and 78 Program areas. It highlights overall strategies for sustainable development more concisely. The Priority Programs, which will form part of China's Agenda 21, will focus all strengths and advantages on solving major problems related to sustainable development. China's Agenda 21 had been discussed and approved at the Executive Meeting of the State Council of the People's Republic of China on 25 March 1994. Meanwhile, the Priority Programs have been worked out to support the implementation of China's Agenda 21.

1.5 In the process of formulating China's Agenda 21, financial assistance and other help were received from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). The formulation and implementation of China's Agenda 21 has become an official Program for cooperation between the Chinese Government and UNDP. UNDP has assigned several teams of international consultants to China to participate in discussions and in an international symposium on the draft of China's Agenda 21, to ensure the document would be in line with the international practices. As well, the formulation of China's Agenda 21 has attracted much interest from the international community. Many foreign governments and senior officials of international organizations have expressed their willingness to support China's Agenda 21 and its associated Priority Programs.

1.6 China's Agenda 21 has been formulated so that it corresponds with Agenda 21 and reflects the Chinese situation. Its formulation process took into account the interests and plans of appropriate ministries, so as to make China's Agenda 21 comprehensive, workable and more authoritative. China's Agenda 21 clarifies China's sustainable development strategies and policies. Its 20 chapters can be divided into four major sections. The first section deals with overall strategies for sustainable development (Chapters 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 20). The second discusses aspects of the sustainable development of society (Chapters 7, 8, 9, 10 and 17). The third focuses on sustainable development of the economy (Chapters 4, 11, 12 and 13). The last is concerned with the protection of resources and the environment (Chapters 14, 15, 16, 18 and 19). Each chapter has been organized into two sections -- introduction and Program areas. The introduction clarifies the objectives and significance of each Program area and the role each plays in overall sustainable development; each particular Program area is then sub-divided into three subsections: basis for action and key problems in the first, the objectives for solving these problems in the second and proposed actions for implementation in the last.

1.7 During the process of formulating and implementing China's Agenda 21, China has sought and will seek effective bilateral and multilateral cooperation with countries and regions all over the world and will strive for a safer, more prosperous and glorious future. In this regard, the prompt formulation and implementation of China's Agenda 21 are also important aspects of China's deepening of reforms and opening to the outside world. It also reflects the Chinese Government's strong sense of historical mission and responsibility and its determination to share its international obligations and make greater contributions to humankind.

1.8 The Chinese Government is determined to implement China's Agenda 21. This is not only because Chinese highest leaders take it seriously, but also because it will help to create a sound environment for sustainable economic development, for deepening reforms and opening to the outside world and for establishing a socialist market economy. Since the 1980s, the Chinese Government has considered the two state policies of family planning and environmental protection to be fundamental to socialist modernization. Environmental protection has been included in annual and medium-term plans for national economic and social development. The Government has formulated and implemented a series of laws and policies concerning environmental protection. There has been great progress in coordinating the relationship between economic development and environmental protection and in creating China's own mode of environmental protection with Chinese characteristics. More and more people have realized that the future for China's development lies in coordinating the relationship amongst economic and social development and resources and the environment. China has established long term cooperative ties and conducted cooperative research with appropriate countries and international organizations through bilateral and multilateral agreements. Because of all these efforts, the implementation of China's Agenda 21, as organized by the Chinese Government, will be firmly supported by ministries, departments and local governments throughout the country and will be received positively by the international community as well.

1.9 The implementation of China's Agenda 21 and its associated priority Programs will be financed through many channels. Since they will provide the bulk of funding, China itself will ensure that an appropriate proportion of annual investment should be used for implementing China's Agenda 21, while seeking the assistance and cooperation of the international community.

1.10 China's Agenda 21, approved by Chinese Government, will function as a guide document for drawing up medium and long-term plans on economic and social development. Its goals and contents will be embodied in the Ninth Five-Year Plan (1996-2000) and the Plan for 2010.