China, Africa have much to share in environmental protection

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-10-24 14:56

NAIROBI - A senior Chinese environment official has said that China, which has suffered from developing economy on the cost of environment, wishes Africa could learn from this lesson and avoid repeating the path. Meanwhile, China is willing to share with Africa the experience of protecting environment.

China has established a set of environmental protection systems that are suitable for the situation of developing countries through many years of study and experiment, and "it is much easier for Africa to take reference from China's systems than from the developed countries,'" said Zhang Shigang, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) in an exclusive interview with Xinhua.

Moreover, the prices of Chinese technology and equipment are more reasonable, he said.

Zhang's argument has been backed by Sekou Toure, director of UNEP's regional office for Africa, who has said that China's communication with African countries on its experience and lessons in protecting environment is useful for Africa.

Toure said in a separate interview with Xinhua that there is a misconception among many people that environmental protection is costly.

"For example, if you don't treat the waster water and discharge into the river, you create all kinds of water-born diseases. At the end, you have to pay for it. It is 10 times cheaper to invest in environment than trying to treat the diseases," he said, expressing appreciation for China's regular training of African environment officials, partly aimed to enhance these African decision makers' environmental awareness.

China has organized two training seminars on water pollution and water resources conservation for African senior environment officials in September last year and January this year in China, respectively training 23 officials from 19 African countries and 24 officials from 14 African countries.

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