|
 Printer-Friendly Version
OPA News Release: [06/21/2004]
Contact Name: Lisa
Kruska
Phone Number: (202) 693-4676
The U.S. Department of Labor and The People’s
Republic of China Sign Four Joint Letters of Understanding
Four-Day Trip of
High-Ranking U.S. Labor Officials Highlights Expanded Efforts to Strengthen
Worker Protections
BEIJING—U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao announced the
signing of four letters of understanding to broaden cooperation between the
United States of America and China in the areas of labor, employment and
workplace safety.
Officials from the Ministry of Labor and Social Security of the
People’s Republic of China (MOLSS) and the State Administration of Work
Safety (SAWS) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) participated in the
signing ceremony. Secretary Chao’s visit and the four agreements represent
the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) most comprehensive engagement with
China on labor issues ever.
Observing the signing ceremonies with Secretary Chao today were Minister
Zheng Silin, Minister of Labor and Social Security, People’s Republic of
China and Administrator Wang Xianzheng, State Administration of Work Safety,
People’s Republic of China.
“The U.S. Labor Department is committed to working with its Chinese
counterparts to share information and practices that will help ensure that the
development of labor standards in China keep pace with China’s rapid
economic development,” said Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao. “These
agreements are the next step in the department’s ongoing engagement with
China and include collaboration on several important labor issues including
mine safety, workplace safety, wages and pensions.”
Victoria A. Lipnic, Assistant Secretary for Employment Standards at U.S.
DOL signed a letter of understanding with Liu Xu, Director General of
Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Labor and Social Security,
for the PRC. Under the agreement the agencies will broaden their cooperation in
the areas of wage and hour regulations and enforcement, public awareness of
wage and hour laws and the effective management and analysis of wage and hour
enforcement data.
John L. Henshaw, Assistant Secretary for the Occupational Safety and
Health Administration at U.S. DOL signed a letter of understanding with Lin
Yisheng, Deputy Director General Department of Foreign Affairs, State
Administration of Work Safety, for the PRC. Under the agreement the agencies
will broaden their cooperation in the areas of occupational safety and health,
the handling and distribution of hazardous chemicals; emergency response
procedures in workplace accidents; private insurance programs that help promote
workplace safety and health; and the effective collection and analysis of
occupational safety and health data.
David D. Lauriski, Assistant Secretary for Mine Safety and Health at
U.S. DOL, signed a letter of understanding with Lin Yisheng, Deputy Director
General, Department of Foreign Affairs, State Administration of Work Safety for
the PRC. Under the agreement the agencies will broaden their cooperation in the
areas of accident emergency response, the role of private insurance in the
promotion of mine safety and health; and the effective collection and analysis
of mine safety and health data.
Ann L. Combs, Assistant Secretary of the Employee Benefits
Administration at U.S. DOL, signed a letter of understanding with Liu Xu,
Director General of Department of International Cooperation, Minister of Labor
and Social Security for the People’s Republic of China. Under the
agreement the agencies will broaden their cooperation in the regulation,
administration and oversight of pension programs.
These four agreements broaden the ongoing cooperation between the U.S.
Department of Labor and its counterparts in the People’s Republic of
China. Under these agreements, the agencies reaffirmed their common objectives
to ensure economic growth, raise living standards and support greater shared
prosperity, foster safe work environments and protect workers rights in
accordance with relevant international labor principles while fully respecting
the national laws of both the United States and China.
The department’s earlier cooperative agreements with China include
a $4.1 million grant to support the rule of law and a $2.3 million mine safety
and health project.
# # #
_________________________________________________________________
| 
