China has called for developed countries to increase climate funding commitments to developed countries during the upcoming COP29.
The 29th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is set to take place in Baku, Azerbaijan from Nov. 11 to Nov. 22.
A key item on agenda will be setting new targets for climate finance, known as the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG). In 2009, developed countries committed 100 billion U.S. dollars a year by 2020 to fund climate change mitigation efforts in developing countries.
At a press conference in Beijing on Wednesday, Xia Yingxian, director of the Department of Climate Change at China's Ministry of Ecology said a much higher sum should be agreed at COP29.
"Developed countries, in particular, should assume the obligation to support developing countries. In this regard, especially in light of this meeting, developed countries should draft a commitment of a figure much higher than 100 billion U.S. dollars. We believe this is a golden key for reaching a suitable outcome at COP29," said Xia.
China calls for more funding to fight climate change at COP29
To meet the timeline of starting independent customs operations by the end of 2025, the government of south China's Hainan province issued a series of regulations to stipulate import and export management of Free Trade Port (FTP), with two major documents on environmental safety and medicine import put into effect recently.
To further explain the effects and scope of the two documents, the local government held press conferences on Monday and Tuesday.
The "Several Provisions on the Management of Entry Environmental Safety Access in the Hainan Free Trade Port" took effect on Wednesday, which clarified the scopes and responsibilities regarding potential environmental issues of vessels and import products.
"The document regulates the access management of special items such as hazardous waste, remanufactured products, carry-on items of entry personnel, and radioactive materials. Meanwhile, it clarifies that the storage sites for transit goods should meet environmental safety management requirements, to avoid environmental pollution," said Di Weijie, deputy director of the Department of Ecology and Environment of Hainan Province.
In addition, the administrative rule on zero-tariff import of medicines and medical devices in Hainan Free Trade Port was put into effect on Tuesday, stipulating that before Hainan FTP starts independent customs operations, medical institutions, higher medical education institutions, and pharmaceutical research institutes registered in the Hainan's Boao Lecheng Pilot Zone with independent legal status and approved eligibility can import designated pharmaceuticals and medical devices under the zero-tariff policy.
"The scope [of medicines and medical devices imported under 'zero-tariff' policy] consists of two categories: imported pharmaceuticals and medical devices already approved for registration in China, and specially licensed pharmaceuticals and medical devices for the Boao Lecheng Pilot Zone," said Jia Ning, director of Hainan Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone Administration, during the press conference.
With policy supports and related efforts like the Ever Lasting International Innovation Medicine Exhibition held in the Boao Lecheng Pilot Zone, medicine and health care is expected to be a new pillar industry for Hainan.
New regulations clarify environment, medicine import issues in Hainan Free Trade Port
