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Aid Activities in China

The Australian Government, through the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), has provided over 25 years of development assistance to China. AusAID continues to work in partnership with China to build on these achievements and provide expertise to help China in its development reform agenda.

China Country Program Strategy

The China Country Program Strategy provides overall direction for Australia's development cooperation program with China for the period 2006-2010.

The strategy matches the timing of China's 11th Five Year Plan and reflects the wishes of both governments for a new approach in development cooperation. The strategy is capable of responding to China's rapid development and reflects the changing nature of the bilateral relationship and the shared strategic objectives of both countries.

This strategy moves away from discrete poverty reduction activities towards sharing ideas, high-level capacity building, and policy engagement. It builds government-to-government linkages for development and encourages both countries to work together on regional issues as partners for mutual benefit, reflecting China's emerging role in global development.

China has experienced significant economic growth since 1978, but while many development indicators have improved, more effort is needed to address impediments posing serious risks to China's environment, human health, social and economic development and stability.

See China Australia Country Program Strategy 2006-2010

Environment

Rapid economic development in China over the past two decades has caused severe environmental problems. Competing demands for natural resources to bring about rapid industrialisation and urbanisation has led to high levels of pollution, ecological degradation and water shortages.

There is increasing awareness in China for the need to balance the environment and economic growth. Tackling environmental issues and managing natural resources is a high priority of the Chinese Government.

Future Australian development cooperation in the environment sector will be channelled through the new Australia China Environment Development Program (ACEDP) that commenced in July 2007.

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Health

Health-related activities support the ongoing development of China's capacity to halt and reverse the spread of HIV, protect its population against emerging infectious diseases and strengthen its health systems. Under these three technical areas, assistance targets high level capacity building, policy engagement and institutional linkages between Australia and China.

Australia is recognised internationally for its effective harm-reduction approaches to HIV/AIDS. Australia's engagement focuses on multi-sectoral and prevention-based approaches to reduce HIV transmission through continued engagement with high-risk groups. This builds on Australia's internationally recognised expertise in harm minimisation and community mobilisation.

Australia will also provide expertise in health surveillance, disease control strategies and emergency response planning systems to help China control communicable diseases that pose risks to national and regional health security.

Future Australian development cooperation in the health sector will be channelled through the new China Australia Health & HIV/AIDS Facility (CAHHF) that commenced in August 2007.

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Governance

China continues to undertake an ambitious program of reform to ensure balanced development. Priorities in the 11th Five Year Plan include government administration, fiscal, taxation, state owned economy, financial system, trade, legal and regulatory reform.

China is also giving more attention to the social and political impacts of reform, particularly the inequality and development gaps that have emerged because of rapid and uneven economic growth. Whilst considerable achievements have been made in reducing poverty, further reductions will need comprehensive structural, institutional and legal reform, complemented by improvements in basic service delivery.

Australia development cooperation with China in the governance sector will be guided by China's own reform agenda within its balanced development policy framework (addressing issues of equity, sustainable growth, transparency, and participation), to improve China's own investments in poverty reduction, market reform, service delivery and social protection.

Future Australian development cooperation in the governance sector will be channelled through the China Australian Governance Program (CAGP) that commenced in 2004. CAGP supports China's governance reform and development agenda in areas of mutual interest to China and Australia.

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Above: Midwife Wo Ma in a Clinic of Dangxiong County, part of the AusAID Tibet Health Sector Support Project. (Photo: THSSP)

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