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Environmental co-operation urged
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Winton Dong
SHENZHEN will spend 20 billion yuan (US$2.44 billion) to protect its natural environment over the next five years.
Zhuo Qinrui, vice-mayor of Shenzhen, revealed the figure at the Austria-Shenzhen Environmental Symposium held in the city yesterday.
“The local government attaches great importance to environmental protection under the pressure of speedy economic development, quick urbanization and an exploding population,” Zhuo said.
Zhuo said that to make the city's economic development sustainable while achieving its goal of catching up with advanced nations in 2030, there is much Shenzhen can learn from Austria and other countries in terms of the environmental protection.
Dr Karl Schimidt, Asia and Pacific director of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, who attended the symposium, said that almost all nations in the world are now paying a heavy price for environmental deterioration caused by quick industrialization during the past decades.
“I am really happy to see that environmental protection is now on the top of the agenda of Chinese governments at all levels,” Schimidt said.
According to Schimidt, Austria boasts advanced technologies in water treatment, battery and other solid waste recycling and reduction of sulphur dioxide and other poisonous air pollutants.
“Water in all rivers and lakes within Austria has reached drinking quality,” Schimidt said with pride.
Since the establishment of its first joint venture in China 15 years ago, Austria has so far taken part in more than 70 environmental projects in China. The novophalt project, the second largest Sino-Austrian project, was also put into operation in Shenzhen last year.
To make its co-operation with Chinese partners more smooth, the Bank of Austria will offer soft loans to joint ventures specializing in sewage treatment, waste recyling and other fields of the environmental protection.
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