In China, UNESCO continues its work to define a measurement system for the results and performance of the 2003 Convention with a renewed focus on food and agriculture

From 11 to 13 June 2017, a meeting of the Open-ended intergovernmental working group on developing an overall results framework for the Intangible Heritage Convention was held in Chengdu, China. The meeting – following an expert meeting held in Beijing in September 2016 and required in Addis Ababa by the 11th Intergovernmental Committee of the Convention in November 2016 – gathered UNESCO officials, experts and organizations from the Evaluation Body, as well as representatives of States from each continental region, with the purpose to define a set of effective indicators to measure performance and results of the Convention and its recognized traditions also through a link to its periodic reports on the implementation of safeguards and promotion measures. These indicators, together with the first data already presented in Ethiopia, will represent a solid basis for reflection to be held on December 2017 during the 12th Committee in the Republic of Korea.

During the Chinese working session it was underlined the role played by UNESCO for the implementation of the "Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development" adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in September 2015 with particular attention to Objectives 2 and 12 committing commit the International Community to "achieve better standards of food and feed safety and promote sustainable agriculture" and to "ensure sustainable patterns of consumption and production".

Therefore, considerable attention has been paid to the collection of data concerning the enactment or the review of policies and legislations on health, food, agriculture, water, rural and urban development, etc., to properly consider both the role played by the traditional practices – such as the Mediterranean Diet – recognized by UNESCO, and the need to ensure the due protection and promotion framework.