The Deputy Director-General of the OPCW, Ambassador Grace Asirwatham, jointly with the Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs of China, H.E. Mr. Liu Jianchao, opened the Regional Meeting on Education and Outreach for States Parties in Asia in Beijing on 5 May 2015, ahead of the 13th Regional Meeting of National Authorities of States Parties in Asia. The Regional Meeting was attended by 65 participants from 32 States Parties.
In her opening statement, the Deputy Director-General highlighted the increasingly important role played by education and outreach in securing more effective and broadly based implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention. Ambassador Asirwatham emphasised the need to expand the reach of the Convention in universities, scientific communities and industry to help foster a culture of responsible science worldwide.
In the course of her meeting with Assistant Minister Liu, the Deputy Director-General discussed a range of issues related to verification and industry inspections, including new tools recently devised by the Technical Secretariat of the OPCW for enhancing real-time exchanges of information. Minister Liu also updated the Deputy Director-General on progress made towards destroying abandoned chemical weapons in China.
The Deputy Director-General also met with Mr. Li Yang, Deputy Director General for Disarmament of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In a wide-ranging discussion, Mr Liu noted that China would work with the Technical Secretariat to establish a regional centre on education and outreach.