[{"bbox": [96, 153, 1134, 207], "category": "Text", "text": "methodologies in China. In addition, this project regularly fed discussions of the EU-China Dialogue on Work Safety and Health³."}, {"bbox": [96, 218, 1134, 353], "category": "Text", "text": "Building on the pilot project, this Action will support continued improvement and implementation of EU methodologies and standards, while also supporting Chinese authorities in better analysing and formulating OSH-related policies and tools supporting a long-term transformative change in China's national social security system. Importantly, this Action will also support the external dimension of the EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work (2021-2027)⁴ and the EU Communication on Decent Work Worldwide (2022)⁵."}, {"bbox": [96, 365, 1134, 447], "category": "Text", "text": "The Action will focus on highly competitive economic sectors between the EU and China, such as the green economy as well as the automotive, chemical, construction and mining industries, with the goal to increase their OSH standards and contribute to a level playing field between EU and Chinese companies."}, {"bbox": [87, 472, 506, 503], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 1.3 Zone benefitting from the Action"}, {"bbox": [87, 518, 1143, 547], "category": "Text", "text": "The Action shall be carried out in the People's Republic of China, which is included in the list of ODA recipients."}, {"bbox": [87, 574, 323, 606], "category": "Section-header", "text": "# 2 RATIONALE"}, {"bbox": [87, 640, 234, 668], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 2.1 Context"}, {"bbox": [96, 698, 1134, 833], "category": "Text", "text": "The European Council Conclusions of 30th June 2023 on China reaffirmed the validity of the EU's multifaceted policy approach towards China, where it is simultaneously a partner, a competitor and a systemic rival. This approach has served to address the different aspects of the relationship, through a period when economic and political relations have required flexibility and agility in bilateral dealings with China. It also kept open the space for bilateral engagement on matters of common or global interest."}, {"bbox": [96, 844, 1134, 1004], "category": "Text", "text": "In recent years, there has been an intensification of the systemic rivalry and competition dimensions in the face of sanctions, economic coercion against Lithuania, heightened tensions across the Taiwan Strait and China's positioning on Russia's war against Ukraine. Continuing to consolidate unity across all aspects of the relationship remains crucial for the EU's capacity to maintain credibility and leverage. At the same time, EU unity should aim at balancing realistic and robust engagement with well-managed systemic rivalry and competition with China in support of core EU interests and values."}, {"bbox": [96, 1015, 1134, 1147], "category": "Text", "text": "Readjusting and recalibrating are necessary in light of the evolving circumstances, including China's own actions and posture. In the 2023 State of the Union speech, President von der Leyen underlined the importance for the EU to keep open lines of communication and dialogue with China on topics where cooperation is needed. At the same time, it is critical to de-risk (not de-couple) our relations with China through diplomatic and economic means to reduce vulnerabilities and increase resilience."}, {"bbox": [96, 1160, 1134, 1268], "category": "Text", "text": "The Action will focus on highly competitive economic sectors between the EU and China, such as the green economy as well as the automotive, chemical, construction and mining industries, with the goal to increase China's OSH standards and contribute to a level playing field between EU and Chinese companies and enable fairer competition."}, {"bbox": [87, 1308, 340, 1339], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 2.2 Problem Analysis"}, {"bbox": [96, 1366, 1134, 1501], "category": "Text", "text": "Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) has been a consistent element of China's five-year plans since 2006 and China's policies on OSH have made progress over the last years. However, the rate of accidents at work, occupational diseases and other work-related health problems remains important. According to a recent report of the Chinese National Health Commission (NHC), in the past five decades there was a seven-fold increase in occupational diseases. About 16 million industrial firms in China regularly expose workers to poisonous or"}, {"bbox": [87, 1572, 1029, 1599], "category": "Footnote", "text": "³ The 13th “EU-China Dialogue on Occupational Safety and Health” will take place in Beijing in December 2023."}, {"bbox": [87, 1598, 275, 1620], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁴ COM/2021/323 final"}, {"bbox": [87, 1621, 264, 1643], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁵ COM/2022/66 final"}, {"bbox": [1038, 1682, 1143, 1706], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 4 of 17"}]