New Guidelines for Green Development in Overseas Investment and Cooperation

Scope of Application

Recommendations for developers and contractors that operate overseas, as well as for commerce and environmental protection departments. Major relevant situations or events should be reported in a timely manner to the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE).

Purpose

Offers overarching guidance to promote green development and improve accountability in developers’ and contractors’ overseas projects and activities.

General Key Points

Developers and Contractors should:

Abide by host country laws and regulations of the host country.
Strengthen business practices overseas to address gaps in local laws.
Adopt international best practices or Chinese standards where local laws and regulations are nonexistent or too lenient.
- Adopt high standards in project plans and designs.

Key Points on Stakeholder Engagement

Developers and Contractors should:

Strengthen communication with the public, government, civil society organizations (CSOs)/nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and the media in host countries.
Ensure proposed projects balance out the benefits among project owners, communities, and the environment.
- Ensure proposed projects offer a combination of economic, social, and environmental benefits to host countries.

Key Points on Environmental and Social Impact Assessment

Developers and Contractors should:

Follow international practices when conducting environmental impact assessments (EIAs) and due diligence for proposed projects.
Try to minimize ecological risks and strengthen environmental management.

Developers, Contractors, and Relevant Authorities should: