"We are discussing with the related Chinese ministerial departments to look at what we should do and where we should go," Susan Whelan told China Daily during her recent visit to Beijing.

More poverty-relief aid programs are possible from CIDA to support sustainable development and reduce poverty in China, she said.

CIDA is going to implement projects that directly target specific groups at grass-roots levels through intervention in the areas of food security, health, education, water and sanitation.

The minister said the Canadian agency will contribute nearly US$12.6 million to helping Chinese farmers adapt to global markets.

"Canadian expertise and technical assistance will help maintain the incomes and livelihoods of farmers affected by China's entry to the World Trade Organization," she said. Canada is committed to supporting China in its efforts to build an environmentally safe, quality agri-food system that will benefit all Chinese.

"Canada is helping to make a difference in rural agriculture around the world," Whelan said.

She said the projects, which will be implemented by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, are designed to provide training and technical assistance to Chinese decision-makers and institutions to implement progressive changes to the local agricultural system.

They will also help small farmers increase their productivity, provide quality food products and access marketing tools to increase their incomes.

Since China and Canada started development co-operation in 1982, a total of 91 projects involving US$410 million have been carried out. They have covered areas such as agriculture, forestry, energy, transportation, education, telecommunications, environmental protection, human-resources development and poverty relief. Almost 60 of the projects have been finished.

China and Canada are negotiating revisions to the Country Development Programming Framework, signed in 1994, and are expected to finish it this year, according to Chinese ministry officials.

(China Daily January 14, 2003)