Development Section

The Embassy opened a Development Section in October 1999. It is the local office of the Department for International Development (DFID) whose aims are the promotion of development and the reduction of poverty across the world. We work with Chinese organisations in a wide range of sectors to achieve these goals. A five-year project to promote basic education in the poorest counties of Gansu province was launched in December 1999, to which the British Government will contribute ��11.5m. A three-year project to ease the reform process for state owned enterprises in Liaoning and Sichuan was also launched in December 1999, and the UK will contribute ��19m. At the same time, we are developing other projects to protect the environment in Yunnan and to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS in Sichuan and Yunnan. We work extensively with United Nations agencies, the World Bank and Non-Governmental Organisations.

• Website of the Department for International Development (English only)