“The Chinese version of the Handbook will generate common understanding of international standards for thousands of Chinese and foreign companies that are contributing to China’s development,” said Art FitzGerald, EDC’s Chief Environmental Advisor, and a co-author of the Handbook’s industry sector guidelines.  “The Handbook will be a useful resource in China’s efforts to establish cleaner production nationwide.”

The English version of the Handbook is a standard reference on sustainable development practices, used by international financial institutions, multilateral development banks, export credit agencies, the 28 private financial institutions that are signatory to the Equator Principles, industry and consultants, national governments and non-governmental organizations.  The Handbook contains 40 industry sector guidelines based on cleaner production, pollution prevention, energy efficiency, reduced use of resources, and sound management practices.

The Chinese version of the Handbook is an important tool for industry to meet the requirements of China’s new Cleaner Production Promotion Law that went into effect in 2003. CIDA’s China-Canada Cooperation Project in Cleaner Production supported an initial printing of 10,000 Chinese language copies for distribution to Chinese industry, and a cooperative effort by EDC, NDRC and CIDA resulted in the electronic version on the NDRC cleaner production website. EDC provided financial support for the translation of the Handbook, which was overseen by Mr. Qi Hongwei of the China-Canada Cleaner Production Project Office of the NDRC. The NDRC will monitor future revisions and additions to the Handbook and will update the Chinese version which will be available online in March 2005 at http://www.chinacp.org.cn/.

The NRDC is a macro-economic management body under the State Council, which studies and formulates policies for economic and social development, maintains a balance of economic aggregates and guides the overall economic system restructuring.  NDRC was instrumental in forging China’s Cleaner Production Promotion Law and is responsible for industry modernization as part of its mandate. 

CIDA is the Canadian Government agency charged with planning and implementing most of Canada's development cooperation program in order to reduce poverty and to contribute to a more secure, equitable and prosperous world. 

EDC provides trade finance and risk management services to Canadian exporters and investors in up to 200 markets.  Founded in 1944, EDC is a Crown corporation that operates on commercial principles. 

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Media Contacts:

Glen Nichols
Export Development Canada
Tel. 613-598-2876
E-mail: glnichols@edc.ca
http://www.edc.ca/

Mr. Yao Mingkuan
National Development and Reform Commission
Tel. 86-10-68535650
E-mail: yaomk@sdpc.gov.cn
http://www.ndrc.gov.cn/,