Mr. Chairman,

First of all, I wish to thank you, on behalf of the Chinese Delegation, for your timely initiation of this ECOSOC Special Event on Avian and Human Influenza. My thanks also go to the WHO and the FAO for their contributions to this Event.

Currently, the avian influenza and its potential of leading to a full-blown human influenza have posed a common threat to all countries. Their prevention and control has thus become an issue of public health and the focus of attention of the international community. The UN system organizations, and especially the FAO and the WHO, have made important contributions to the prevention and control of avian influenza by offering timely and strong support to the affected countries and regions, and especially to the developing countries and regions, in their endeavor for this purpose. At the same time, many countries and organizations have made useful suggestions on avian influenza prevention and control and closer international cooperation in this area. The Chinese Delegation appreciates the above efforts, which we believe are of important realistic significance in enhancing international cooperation on avian influenza prevention and treatment and better preparation for full-scale outbreak of human influenza.

Mr. Chairman,

The Chinese Delegation attaches great importance to the international cooperation on avian influenza prevention and treatment and human influenza prevention. We deem it necessary to abide by the following principles in such cooperation:

1. We should support the leading role of UN by strengthening coordination and cooperation between the UN and its specialized agencies, adjusting priorities, improving efficiency and reducing overlapping.

2. We should reinforce regional cooperation. The Asia-Pacific area with its higher rate of avian influenza case should in particular formulate necessary regional strategies through such mechanism as 10 plus 1, 10 plus 3 and the APEC.

3. We should intensify our efforts in influenza studies, laboratory tests, and medicine and vaccine researches, and establish avian influenza laboratory network at the national level.

4. We should appropriately handle the issue of intellectual property rights in cooperation on human, animal, vaccine, and anti-virus drug reserves, and reduce the cost for developing countries in obtaining and producing related vaccines and medicines.

5. The international community should also offer, through multilateral and bilateral channels, necessary financial and technical assistance as well as health personnel training, to help developing countries to build their prevention and control capacity and improve their emergency response.

Mr. Chairman,

China is one of the first countries with avian influenza cases. We are deeply aware of the devastating effects caused by the avian influenza. Faced with current situation, the Chinese Government has adopted a number of positive measures to improve our mechanisms of prevention and vaccination, monitoring and warning, laboratory analysis, and emergency response. We have also tightened quarantine and supervision in trading areas, raised the public awareness, and reinforced scientific and technological methods to prevent transfers from outside China. The Chinese Government has just established a National Avian Influenza Prevention and Control Headquarter to lead, guide and coordinate relevant efforts across the country, and appropriated 2 billion RMB exclusively for prevention and control of avian influenza.

The Chinese Government has made vigorous efforts to conduct bilateral and multilateral cooperation and technical exchanges with the related international organizations and countries. We have supplied timely information to the related international organizations and countries on the disease and its prevention and control, offered financial, material and technical assistance to neighboring countries, and conducted technical exchanges and cooperation with the related international organizations. China's Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Health have established a Four-Party Joint Meeting System with the FAO and the WHO. China has accumulated certain experiences in avian influenza prevention and treatment, and is willing to offer assistance within our abilities to countries concerned through appropriate channels.

Mr. Chairman,

This year, the Chinese Government will once again table the draft resolution on "Enhancing capacity building in global public health" in the General Assembly. The draft resolution is aimed at improving, through international and regional cooperation, national public health system and capacity building in public health, so as to better prepare the international community in preventing and responding to diseases such as the avian and human influenza.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.