The opening of China's west, coinciding with the country's looming entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO) has been as important to China's economic and social development as an opportunity for China to stake its position as a world power. Development of hard mineral and oil resources frequently brings great environmental problems. Resource development around the world has also been responsible for another unfavorable outcome: the alienation of local populations. First, they do not see themselves sharing directly in the benefits of development projects and second, they are the first victims of the environmental harm caused by the mining and petroleum. In the past, China's requirement for agricultural land meant the destruction of very important forest cover; therefore, erosion is now the main problem. Most of the main rivers find their sources in the west, and some of these watercourses are already severely polluted.

China's entry into the WTO raises alarm bells with regard to the biological diversity issue. Biological diversity constitutes three wide classifications of living systems: genetic, species and ecosystem diversity. While science does not have a whole statistical analysis of the species and habitat loss, proof of biodiversity decline, as the extinction of rare species of Chinese wildlife is significant. The Wildlife Detection Center was founded in 1986. At that time, the Center had only 10 endangered Siberian tigers. Now, the Center houses 83 Siberian tigers, out of 400 left in the world. They are the largest group anywhere. Center helps to reproduce captive Siberian tigers and rehabilitate them back to their natural surroundings.

Cities have set up trade organizations, classifying endangered species and, based on the groupings, where limited trade is allowed. This trade system is very contentious in China and Hong Kong because of Chinese traditional medicine and the trades in types of animal parts such as rhinoceros’ horn, bear bile and tiger bones. Many in the traditional Chinese medicine industry believe the significance of human health must, to a certain degree, surpass the protection of the environment.
 

One of the major industries with regard to biodiversity is the creation of pharmaceuticals. At present, pharmaceutical companies send ethno-botanists into indigenous areas to find out the genetic resources that have been used by native peoples for perhaps hundreds or thousands of years. The company takes the genetic resources to engineer new medicines, which it then markets for substantial profit. This is a very economical way for the company to find precious genetic information and from a global health outlook it is also cost effective. Before 1979, there were very few laws and people paid little attention to environmental issues. Successions of significant laws were established beginning in 1979. Improvement in 1993 gave a good groundwork for law and

policy being passed today. After 1993, people began paying more attention towards environmental issues.
 

The Chinese people have become conscious that they really are part of a global society and that their future is a world future. Businesses are taking part by investing in the environment.  Environmental investment by businesses in the last two decades has jumped from $.3 billion to nearly $10 billion. Because of the enormous bureaucracy in China, the penchant toward complex measures and irrational meddling continues to be a problem.