The Environmental Protection Industry's WTO Commitments

The list of service trades in the legal documentation of China's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) has made relative commitments to environmental protection services.

The commitments indicate that after China's entry into the WTO, the Chinese government will permit foreign service providers to engage in environmental services as joint ventures; the majority share will be permitted in the area of environmental protection services, including emissions of pollutants, treatment services of solid wastes and exhaust gases, reduction of noise, protection of nature and scenic sites, as well as other environmental protection and sanitary services.
Environmental monitoring and inspecting pollution-causing resources are not included.

During the Tenth Five-Year Plan (2001-2005), demand for investments in China's environmental industry is estimated to climb to 700 billion yuan (US$84.33 billion), and a vast market will emerge. The State Environmental Protection Administration will encourage foreign entrepreneurs and financial institutions to invest in this industry and promise to carry out the scheduled commitments regarding the environmental service industry; environmental policies and regulations will be adjusted and reformed using advanced experiences from abroad.

On one hand, the Chinese government will become acclimatized to the demand arising from China's accession to the WTO and strengthen the coordination of environmental and trade policies, and regulate government behavior in environmental administration. On the other hand, the country will try its best to comply with the development trend of world environmental protection and intensify the stimulating mechanism and transparency of environmental information.

[Source: State Environmental Protection Administration]