Environment - Ozone Layer Protection

The last six Chinese factories that produce CFC, a kind of ozone depleting substances, have signed a deal with the State Environmental Protection Administration to stop production, marking the end of the major CFC production in China. The move is said to mean that China has honored its promise to phase out CFC two and a half years ahead of the schedule in the Montreal Protocol.

Human Rights - Labour Rights

Over the objections of foreign investors, the Chinese legislature passed a new labour law that strengthens protections for workers across the booming economy. The law requires employers to provide written contracts to their workers, restricts the use of temporary laborers and helps give more employees long-term job security.

See previous post.

Trade

Amidst several product safety controversies between the two countries, US government health officials said that they would block shipments of several types of China-farmed seafood because they were found to be contaminated with drugs banned from use in farmed seafood. But the officials said there had been no reports of illnesses and the products did not pose any immediate health risks. A Chinese quality inspection official said that China cannot accept the indiscriminate and automatic detention of Chinese products, but admitted that a "handful of Chinese seafood enterprises" had problems with quality control

Trade
Hong Kong

Hong Kong and mainland China signed Supplement IV of the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement. The new agreement will provide easier and expanded mainland market access for Hong Kong banks and tour operators, greater opportunities for convention organisers and preferential treatment for public utilities, elderly care and other service sectors.

Environment - Dumping
Hong Kong

Under a 2004 agreement between Hong Kong and the State Oceanic Administration, Hong Kong will ship 10 million tonnes of construction waste to a 5.2 sq km reclamation site in western Guangdong. Officials hailed the deal as a "win-win" arrangement for the mainland and Hong Kong and may consider making them a permanent arrangement.