With support from The Union, the first legal network for tobacco control in China was established in Beijing on 29 May 2010 to provide expert support and advice on legislative drafting for national and provincial tobacco control laws.

More than 100 people from the legal and tobacco control fields, as well as the media, attended the founding meeting of the China Legal Expert Working Group to learn about and discuss legislative strategies for tobacco control in China. The Working Group comprises 59 Chinese legal experts who are committed to promoting tobacco control legislation at both national and local levels.

China ratified the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) in January 2006 and committed to creating 100% smokefree environments in public places, work places and on public transportation within five years of ratification. However, there is a significant gap between what has thus far been achieved and the FCTC requirements. China faces several challenges in addressing this gap, such as low public awareness of the dangers of smoking and second-hand smoke, insufficient government support for tobacco control and the strong opposition of tobacco companies.

Xie Zhiyong, the main organiser and one of the three Chief Experts for the Network, said “Such a network will help provide legal assistance to public health professionals in promoting tobacco control legislation at both national and local levels, including legislation that focus on creating smokefree environments.” Regular meetings of the Working Group will be held to discuss issues in tobacco control legislation and foster the exchange of information.

The China Legal Experts Working Group is part of a Union-supported Bloomberg grant to the tobacco control programme at the China Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC).