MOFCOM/MOF and BMZ agreed to focus bilateral development cooperation on a limited number of action fields within the three priority areas of sustainable economic development, environmental protection and environmentally sound transportation systems. These are:

•  Economic and Structural Reform, Economic Policy Advice
•  Legal Cooperation
•  Financial Systems Development
•  Vocational Education and Training
•  Environmental Policy
•  Management of Natural Resources
•  Energy
•  Urban Development

•  Environmentally Friendly Transport Systems
•  Health (discretionary scope)

The CIM Programme and Technical Assistance (TA) projects of GTZ China cooperate closely to meet the strategic objectives of Sino-German Development Cooperation to achieve synergies. The GTZ Office, Beijing , promotes the CIM Programmes, renders services to the integrated experts and facilitates communication with relevant TA projects. GTZ China also provides Chinese host organizations with advisory support on administrative procedures.

•  Integrated experts are recruited according to the requirements of the Chinese host organization.
•  Integrated experts receive orientation and preparation courses before they leave Germany .
•  Integrated experts receive topping-up payments to supplement the Chinese host organization's salary.
•  The integrated expert's regular health insurance and social security payments are subsidized.

The CIM Programme was introduced to China on the basis of the Technical Cooperation Agreement concluded between the Governments of China and Germany in 1982 and was formally established in China when the protocol on the CIM Integrated Experts Programme between the Governments of China and Germany came into effect on 22 November 1985. By 2007, more than 300 integrated experts had been assigned to Chinese host organizations working in fields such as urban planning, vocational training, economic reform, social infrastructure development and environmental protection. At present about 40 integrated experts work in Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Chengdu, Nanchang, Qingdao, Dalian and other centres where they contribute to China's economic and social development, and are highly valued by their employers.

MOFCOM designated CICETE as the official Chinese counterpart of the CIM Programme. CICETE is responsible for the management and coordination of the Integrated Expert Programme in China.

•  Handles applications for integrated experts from potential Chinese host organizations
•  Provides guidance about the CIM Programme to Chinese host organizations.
•  Provides Chinese host organizations with examples of employment contracts for integrated experts.
•  Provides official documentation for visas, foreign expert identity cards, resident permits and customs clearance.
•  Coordinates between CIM experts and their Chinese host organizations and mediates when necessary.
•  Monitors the programme, collects reports from CIM experts and their Chinese host organizations, collects and evaluates feedback from both parties.
•  Reports to MOFCOM about the status and implementation of the CIM Programme.

The Chinese host organization shall pay the integrated experts the highest local salary for the position. The new concept of German-Chinese Development Cooperation , signed by MOFCOM and MOF agrees on a bigger and increasing cost-sharing by the Chinese partners of German development cooperation. This new policy of rising cost sharing should be implemented effectively and continuously, but in a transparent, smooth, harmonious and flexible way. Nevertheless all partners involved have to be aware that the reasons for a higher cost sharing are urgent and that this is no incremental change but a real paradigm shift.

The CIM experts have a qualification profile, which is not yet available on the local labour market. The local salary should reflect this scarcity in market terms and therefore should be at the high end of the salary scale. The local salary and income offered for the CIM expert should comprise all forms of additional benefits that are offered for their Chinese counterparts. If these are not relevant for the integrated expert (e. g. pension scheme and medical insurance are covered by CIM) then their monetary value should be added to the normal salary.

Please find enclosed a salary scale defining the possible ranges of the local salary according to different types of regions, sectors, employers and positions/qualification profiles (see enclosure). The following aspects should be considered in determining a fair and realistic local salary:

•  The legal and hierarchical status of the employer (public or private sector, universities, NGOs).
•  The relevance of the position and duties assigned.
•  Professional experience of the integrated expert. For junior experts should be a deduction of 20 – 30% according to their position, qualification and experience.
•  Regional salary variances, depending on the level of economic development and availability of qualified personnel.
•  Performance-related salary payments require transparency and documentation.

The local employer has the following responsibilities, which are part of the employment contract:

•  The Chinese host organization shall provide a good working environment, including necessary equipment, modern communication facilities, a qualified counterpart and a qualified translator, if necessary.
•  The Chinese host organization shall reimburse official travel costs incurred by the integrated experts in the contract period.
•  The Chinese host organization shall provide professional guidance and the necessary resources to implement the objectives agreed upon.
•  The Chinese host organization shall help the integrated experts to find suitable apartments with appropriate amenities at a reasonable rent. The integrated experts shall pay the rent.
•  The Chinese host organization shall support the integrated experts to obtain visas, a foreign expert identity card, residence permits and with customs clearance.
•  Terms of notice: The Chinese host organization shall inform the integrated experts at least 90 days before the end of their contract period if they wish to terminate the employment contract.
•  The Chinese host organization shall notify CICETE in writing at least 90 days before the end of their contract period if both the Chinese host organization and the integrated expert agree to extend the contract.
•  All these issues are defined in the model local employment contract. This model contract can be varied but not be changed in substance.