BEIJING, May 12 (Xinhua) -- A protection and assistance training course jointly sponsored by the Chinese government and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) was inaugurated here on Monday.

　　A Foreign Ministry press release said 25 students from 18 countries in the Asia-Pacific region were participating in the five days of training at the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Institute of Chemical Defense.

　　The course aims to implement the protection and assistance article of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) to help relevant nations improve their ability to tackle the possible threat of chemical weapons and chemical accidents.

　　China has supported the CWC treaty and assisted the OPCW by offering funds and equipment, the release said.

　　The training course will conclude on Friday, the press release announced.

　　The CWC took force in 1997 and mandated the OPCW to eliminate chemical weapons and verify the destruction of declared chemical weapons stockpiles within stipulated deadlines.

　　So far, 183 nations, representing about 98 percent of the global population, have joined the OPCW.