U.S. Relations With the People's Republic of China (2007)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

EPA Administrator Makes Third Trip to China - Johnson, Chinese Officials Discuss Balancing Economy, Environment

Release date: 12/11/2007

Contact Information: Dave Ryan, (202) 564-4355 / ryan.dave@epa.gov

(Washington, D.C. - Dec. 11, 2007) EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson and other Bush administration cabinet officials will meet with senior Chinese officials in Beijing at the third U.S.-China Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED) this week. The two countries are giving particular attention to ways in which the United States can help China manage sulfur dioxide emissions from power plants. Johnson will also attend the second Joint Commission on Environmental Cooperation (JCEC).

"Over the past few decades, the U.S. has worked to create an appropriate balance between a growing economy and a healthy environment. As China now faces a similar challenge, we see our collaborations through SED and JCEC as ways to continue to move both our nations toward a cleaner, healthier, more productive future," said Johnson.

In Beijing, Johnson will join other cabinet officials and their Chinese counterparts in the SED to discuss managing the impact of energy choices. Following the conclusion of SED discussions, Johnson will co-chair a meeting of the JCEC with Minister Zhou Sengxian of China's State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA). The officials will assess progress made on water, air, waste, and toxic materials initiatives, and launch a new joint initiative on environmental law and enforcement. (Last month, EPA and China launched a joint Environmental Law Initiative Web site, which will provide a forum for sharing information and fostering an ongoing dialogue between the two countries on environmental law.)