[Intl-tobacco] Chinese Vow No New Joint Ventures at FCTC Meeting

[Robert Weissman]

New cigarette companies prohibited

> Shanghai Daily
> Zhang Liuhao
> 2006-02-08 Beijing Time
> CHINA will no longer be setting up any new cigarette production companies,
> including joint ventures, as part of a global campaign to control tobacco,
> Xinhua news agency reported, citing Sha Zukang, Chinese ambassador to the
> United Nations.
>
> China will also step up efforts to merge and restructure its existing
> tobacco companies, Sha said in a speech at the first conference of an
> anti-tobacco treaty.
>
> Officials from more than 110 countries gathered in Geneva Sunday,
> attending
> a two-week meeting to gain increased cooperation in curbing tobacco use
> among the world's 1.3 billion smokers.
>
> In November 2003, China joined the treaty, which was passed by the World
> Health Organization in May 2003 and became effective in February 2005.
>
> Sha said tobacco control is a long-term, strenuous, and complicated public
> health issue, which also connects to social and economic problems.
> China, as
> a developing country, will propel the implementation of the treaty
> depending
> on how practical its conditions are.
>
> Besides the ban on selling cigarettes to minors, China forbids the use of
> automatic cigarette selling machine within the country's territory, Sha
> said, adding that China aims to hold a non-smoking Olympic Games in
> Beijing
> in 2008.
>
> To follow the treaty's provisions, China will also curb smoking in public
> places by becoming stricter and by implementing bans on tobacco
> advertising,
> promotions and sponsorships, he said.
>
> As the second major cause of death in the world, tobacco is now
> responsible
> for about 5 million deaths annually, according to the WHO.