Germany and China plan to broaden their strategic partnership in the field of environmental protection. "It is our common understanding that we wish to intensify our cooperation, particularly in the fields of renewable energies, energy efficiency and climate protection", stated Minister Gabriel on Friday at the end of his two-day visit to Beijing.
Minister Gabriel met with the Chinese Environment Minister Zhou Shengxian, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) and with the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) in the Chinese capital. He also held talks with Xu Kuangdi, Chairman of the China Federation of Industrial Economies and an exchange of ideas with Ma Wenpu, the Central Committee member responsible for international issues, and with Chinese non-governmental organisations.Ministers Gabriel and Zhou Shengxian agreed to hold a strategic environment dialogue in which the other relevant ministries on both sides will also participate. The goal of these regular talks is to initiate concrete projects and investments for all key aspects of environmental policy. The first of these dialogue meetings is due to take place next year. The focal points will be climate protection projects in the framework of the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), chemicals safety, waste management and water management.
Agreements will be reached with the NDRC and the MOST on energy efficiency, renewable energies and CDM projects in order to set the political framework conditions for investments by German companies in China. At the same time as Minister Gabriel's visit a workshop was held in Beijing, attended by representatives of German and Chinese enterprises who discussed the implementation of CDM projects. During this workshop it became clear that there is huge interest in China in the transfer of German environmental technologies.Minister Gabriel stated: "China is a key partner in global environmental protection. The modernisation of environmental and economic policy in the major industrialised and newly industrialised countries is a crucial prerequisite for successfully combating climate change, and for the environmentally sound structuring of economic growth worldwide. China's increasing efforts to reconcile environmental and economic policy deserve strong support."
Further Information:
- <dokl:38371>Press Release as of 07.12.2006</dokl>: Germany and China intensify cooperation on environmental protection