China has stepped up its efforts to cut production and consumption of ozone depleting substances (ODS) in a bid to protect the ozone layer and fulfill its international obligations.

Wang Jirong, vice-director of the State Environmental Protection Administration of China (SEPA), announced here today the Chinese government approved earlier this month the revised edition of China's National Action Agenda to phase out ODS, issued six years ago, in order to quicken its pace of the phase-out.

Under the revised edition, which is subject to technical and financial support, some industries will phase out some ODS far ahead of the deadline set in the previous action agenda.

China's fire fighting departments will stop production and consumption of Halon1211 by 2006, six years ahead of the original deadline.

Auto air-conditioning industry will stop using CFCs-12 by 2001,nine years ahead of the deadline set by the Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer.

China has cut ODS output and consumption by a total of 50,000 tons since 1991, thanks to the financial support from a multilateral international fund and efforts made by the Chinese government and 200 enterprises involved in the work.

According to another senior environmental protection official, in the past few years China has received a total of 445 million U.S. dollars in donations from a multilateral international fund forprograms to protect the ozone layer.

The fund was set up by developed countries from the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer to help developing countries phase out ODS production and consumption over a set period.

An additional 500 million U.S. dollars will be needed for China's phase-out action agenda in the next decade. (xinhua)