• Mr. Dong Wenfu, Director of Montreal Protocol, Atmospheric Environment Department, Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE);
• Mr. Chen Zhihua, Deputy Director, Foreign Economic Cooperation Office (FECO), Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE);
• Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen.

A very good afternoon to all of you and a warm welcome to guests and partners, who have worked tirelessly to support China in protecting the ozone layer – our shield above the sky.

Over 30 years ago, that shield was fragile. China’s solvents industry was consuming dangerous levels of ozone-depleting substances (ODS). The peak: about 11,000 metric tons a year – was almost equal to a loaded cargo ship[1]. 

Today, the picture is very different. Over the three decades since this journey began, progress has also been felt in the workplace, with thousands of workers’ jobs becoming cleaner, safer and easier.

How did we get there? The story starts with you.

Enterprise leaders, some present here today, are the main protagonists of that transformation. China was opening up to the world - changing in ways that would change history. It was a tough turning point: as the clean path is seldom the easiest. 

From planes in the sky, to cars on our roads, to life-saving medical devices, so much depends on solvents.Yet your vision, and your commitment, meant China could still make all those things, and honor its promise to the international community: to protect the ozone layer that protects us all.

Since the early 1990s, with support from the Multilateral Fund under the Montreal Protocol, we embarked on a journey to cut those chemicals. We began by cutting down. In 2007 we fully phased out Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Since 2011, we have been phasing-out Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), the final sprint of this thirty-year marathon. 

The Multilateral Fund’s Executive Committee, and the wider international community, have repeatedly spoken highly of China's contributions to compliance. 

This recognition belongs to every one of you today. 

Across three decades of change, UNDP has walked side by side with China, working closely with the Foreign Environmental Cooperation Center (FECO). Over the past 10 years, we jointly retrofitted 50 enterprises across 12 provinces for Solvent stage II. 

At the end of 2023, the Disposable Medical Devices (DMD) subsector completed its phase-out ahead of schedule, and formally banned HCFCs. 

The national ban on HCFC‑141b – an especially powerful ozone-depleting, greenhouse gas, used as a cleaning agent – took effect on the 1st of July 2026. And in just two days, we mark International Ozone Layer Day. So, it is particularly timely to meet at this moment, to review our journey, commend contributing enterprises, and chart our next steps.

And as our Hydrochlorofluorocarbons journey ends, a low carbon one begins. 

We are encouraged to see many enterprises already exploring and adopting clean energy, setting benchmarks for the industry. We hope that through today's event, these valuable practices can be shared and replicated, so more companies adopt low-carbon, sustainable, solvent technology.

The green transition benefits not only our air and skies, but every worker in the industry. In the Disposable Medical Devices subsector, where women comprise around 80% of workers, greener technologies have greatly improved workshop conditions and reduced physical labor intensity, enabling workers to operate in healthier, safer environments. 

This proves that protecting our planet, promoting gender equality, and improving well-being can go hand-in-hand.

The national ban issued was not an end point, but a new beginning. Mature alternatives have already been successfully applied in the industry. That lays a solid technical foundation for a broader green transition, in which we need to do three things: 

1. Consolidate the phase-out results, so we can learn from them;
2. Promote alternative green technologies, and 
3. Explore a sustainable development path for the industry.

UNDP will continue cooperating closely with the Foreign Economic Cooperation Office and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, to promote green alternative technologies, build compliance capacities, and share international experience.

The task of establishing long-term and effective regulatory mechanisms in the post-ban era remains great. Only through sustained policy advocacy, technology dissemination, and awareness-raising can we truly consolidate hard-won compliance achievements. 

UNDP will also support the government in strengthening industry capacities, public awareness, and international exchanges. 

We look forward to China's industry continuing to innovate and evolve sustainably, contributing more "Chinese wisdom" and "Chinese solutions" to global efforts protecting our ozone, and fighting climate change.

I want to thank our partners across industries, working tirelessly to realize this. Together, we can expand what you have already achieved, to protect the skies above, and life below. 

Thank you!