China and Japan discuss on energy saving and environmental protection

Deputy head of China's National Development and Reform Commission Zhang Yong (C) delivers a speech in Tokyo, Japan, Dec. 24, 2017. (Xinhua/Ma Ping)

Officials, entrepreneurs, experts and scholars from China and Japan discussed cooperation and inked agreements on 23 cooperation projects on Sunday at the 11th China-Japan Comprehensive Forum on Energy Saving and Environmental Protection held here in Tokyo.

Some 800 people attended the forum co-organized by China's National Development and Reform Commission, China's Ministry of Commerce, Chinese embassy in Japan, and Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and Japan-China Economic Association.

Deputy head of China's National Development and Reform Commission Zhang Yong briefed the attendants about China's achievements in recent years in energy saving, emission reduction, and development of environment-friendly industries, as well as the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the party's policies on ecological civilization construction.

He said that both China and Japan have a lot of advanced ideas, technologies and products in energy saving and environmental protection, and enhancing cooperation is in the interests of both sides and has great prospects.

The two sides should bring into full play their complementary advantages and further enhance the level of practical cooperation on energy saving and environmental protection, he said.

China's Vice Minister of Commerce Gao Yan said that China will continue to support the development of green circulation and energy saving and environmental protection industries, and enhance communication and practical cooperation with Japan and other countries.

Attendants held discussions on third-market cooperation, energy saving management, resources recycling, development of intelligent vehicle and new energy vehicle, clean coal technology and coal-fired power generation, as well as China-Japan long-term trade.

The two sides inked 23 cooperation projects in various areas, including energy saving, environment protection, circular economy, new energy, long-term trade, and covering policy research, technology development and project investment.

China's National Development and Reform Commission and Japan's New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization signed a memorandum on deepening practical cooperation in energy saving and environmental protection areas through enhancing communication on projects, policies, technological cooperation and people-to-people exchanges.

China-Japan Comprehensive Forum on Energy Saving and Environmental Protection, first held in 2006, has seen agreement achieved on a total of 337 cooperation projects and provides a good platform for enterprises, research organizations and local governments of the two countries to enhance cooperation.