Mr Chairman,
Since UNISPACE III in 1999, COPUOS has established several action teams to implement the various recommendations of UNISPACE III. Under the direct coordination and guidance by OOSA and with the active participation and joint efforts of member states, these action teams have worked hard and achieved substantive progress in implementing the recommendations of UNISPACE III and promoting the application of space technology.
The Chinese delegation has also actively participated in the work of the Action Team 7 chaired by China, Canada and France in rotation and the work of some other action teams for the three year period. The Chinese delegation notes with appreciation that in line with the recommendations of UNISPACE III and in accordance with General Assembly resolution A/59/174 adopted at the 59th GA session, the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee of COPUOS set up an ad hoc group of experts in 2005 to study the feasibility of establishing an international entity named DMISCO to be operated by OOSA and that progress has been achieved in this regard.
Mr. Chairman,
The Chinese delegation views the DMISCO project as the only activity available at present which covers the complete process of disaster reduction and disaster management by the use of space technology. In addition, it can also provide operational support and services and offer technical support in terms of information and knowledge sharing, pre-disaster preparation, early warning, impact assessment during and after disaster, rehabilitation and reconstruction as well as education and training. Furthermore, it can play an important role in providing practical support and technical assistance to the work by UN/ISDR. At the same time, it can be mutually supportive and complementary to the Charter on Major Disaster and Disaster Reduction and other international organizations and motions in the field of disaster reduction and disaster management.
The Chinese delegation believes that the DMISCO project wil enable the disaster affected countries to contact OOSA in the shortest time possible and obtain technical support in time. It can fully utilize the space technology resources available from various space institutions, international organizations and relevant motions in conducting international cooperation in disaster reduction with a view to establishing a closer link between disaster management and the the requirements and the capabilities of member states. By providing infrastructure construction and services through space communication cooperation, the project can minimize the distance between the end-user and the space institutions, international
organizations and relevant motions, provide real-time technical support to disaster reduction activities and improve the preparedness and responsive capabilities of member states to disasters.
Mr. Chairman,
As one of the countries worst affected by natural disasters in the world, China has about two third of its territory under the constant threat of floods to various degrees and nearly half of all its cities situated along the earthquake belt. In addition, China also suffers serious drought and decertification. With global climate change since 1990s, a period of high incidence of natural disasters has fallen on China, which has resulted in the constant happening of major disasters and led to an obvious upward trend in the incidence of natural disasters and losses thus caused. The Chinese government attaches great importance to disaster reduction work and to the international cooperation in the field of disaster management and has actively supported and participated in the work of the ad hoc expert group of COPUOS and related activities of other international organizations.
Mr. Chairman,
The Chinese delegation believes that the report to be submitted by the ad hoc expert group on the establishment of the DMISCO project to be managed directly by OOSA within the framework of the United Nations will be convincing. The Chinese delegation is of the view that the establishment of this entity is a concrete action and result of COPUOS in implementing the various recommendations of UNISPACE III, which is in line with the principles of the Vienna Declaration adopted at UNISPACE III and represents a start in translating the language on paper into concrete actions after almost six years of discussion at COPUOS. Therefore, the Chinese delegation supports the establishment of DMISCO and hopes that its office will be set up in Beijing. The Chinese government will provide the office with office
space, experts and staff free of charge.
Mr. Chairman,
Beijing is the seat of the UN Drought Research Center set up by UN/ISDR, the seat of the headquarter of the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization with a membership of 9 countries that have already signed the Convention, as well as the seat for China Meteorological Satellite Application Center, Earth Resources Satellite Application Center, Ocean Satellite Application Center and the Application Center of Small Satellite Constellation for Future Environment Monitoring and Disaster Management. Not long ago, China National Space Administration, together with China Meteorological Satellite Application Center, provided 7 signatory states of the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization free of charge with digital video broadcasting stations for FY-2C meteorological satellite, which can directly receive weather and cloud imagery from FY-2C meteorological satellite as transmitted by the communication satellite. The above-mentioned infrastructure and facilities will also provide support to DMISCO.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.