2017-06-13

On the afternoon of June 13^th, 2017, Chairman ZHANG Yi and Mr. LIU Jianxing, Deputy Director General of the International Cooperation Center of National Reform and Development Commission of China (ICC-NDRC) signed the strategic partnership agreement. Both parties will jointly promote Sino-European municipal development cooperation in the aspects of science- technology, education, culture and economy in order to deepen Sino-European partnership on urbanization with mutual benefits through concrete down-to-earth projects. Mr. Henrich Guntermann, Senior Advisor to ECMDC and CEO of European Consortium of Technology Transfer (ECTT), Mr. CAO Wenlian, Director General of ICC-NDRC, Ms. PAN Xin, Director of Research and Coordination Management Office, Mr. JING Chaoyang, Head of Regional Cooperation and Opening-up Institute and Mr. GUO Jianmin, Director of Planning and External Liaison Division attended the signing ceremony.  

Mr. ZHANG Yi and Mr. LIU Jianxing Signing the Agreement

Mr. CAO Wenlian (Middle at the Back Row), Mr. Henrich Guntermann (Left Two at the Back Row), Ms. PAN Xin (Right One at the Back Row), Mr. GUO Jianmin (Right Two at the Back Row) and Mr. JING Chaoyang (Left One at the Back Row)

Established in 1993, the International Cooperation Center (ICC) of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) is a government institution directly subordinate to NDRC. Since 2011, ICC has been successfully transformed from an institution specialized in foreign services for government agencies to a new-type think tank engaged in multifarious missions including policy research, international cooperation, planning & consulting, foreign services and high-end training. Currently, ICC is proactively initiating the “second-round transformation” and thus striding towards a new-type think tank with greater influence over domestic policies and international visibility. ICC is a participant of the NDRC International Cooperation Joint Conference, a member of the National “Belt and Road Initiative” Leading Group Office, and an executor of Sino-European, Sino-Canadian, Sino-Australian and Sino-German inter-governmental cooperation projects. In recent years, ICC has implemented major bilateral cooperation mechanisms of NDRC, and launched Sino-British, Sino-Zimbabwean and other international cooperation projects. It is exploring multi-dimensional and in-depth modes of international cooperation and exchange, and in so doing constantly increased its global influence.

At the Meeting

At the meeting prior to the signing ceremony, both parties reviewed the opening speech delivered by Chinese President XI Jinping at the Belt and Road Forum, and held the full exchange of views and in-depth discussion on the issue of promoting Sino-European cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative in a down-to-earth way in order to materialize Sino-European partnership on urbanization.

Mr. CAO Wenlian firstly extended his welcome to the visiting of Mr. ZHANG Yi and Mr. Henrich Guntermann. He introduced the current work undertaken by ICC-NDRC to implement the Belt and Road Forum cooperation projects and its future plan. He remarked, on May 3^rd, 2012, Mr. LI Keqiang, the then Vice Premier signed Joint Declaration on China-EU Partnership on Urbanization with Mr. Jose Manuel Barroso, President of European Commission. NDRC is the executor of the Joint Declaration. As the subordinate department, ICC participates in China-EU partnership on urbanization and implements the concrete projects. ICC is the member of the National “Belt and Road Initiative” Leading Group Office as well. Mr. CAO Wenlian said, since the mission of ECMDC is to promote Sino-European partnership on urbanization and Sino-European cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative, ICC and ECMDC complement each other with their own advantages. The strategic partnership between ICC and ECMDC will surely speed up various on-going projects on each side.

Mr. ZHANG Yi appreciated the positive attitudes of ICC towards ECMDC. He expressed his heartfelt happiness at the strategic partnership between ECMDC and ICC. He said, ECMDC has established the close partnership with the concerned authorities at EU HQ, EU Member States and European cities. ECMDC reached consensus with many mayors of Chinese and European cities as for the down-to-earth cooperation. ECMDC intends to start with Sino-European municipal development cooperation, and choose the science-technology innovation and cultural creation as entry points in order to promote two-way cooperation with mutual benefits between Chinese and European cities. ECMDC expects to work with ICC to learn from the advanced experiences of European urbanization with a view to facilitating the construction of small town with distinctive features across China. Mr. ZHANG Yi said, ECMDC will bring to the full play its platform advantages, and integrate high-quality resources and projects of ECMDC into the on-going projects of ICC. ECMDC stands ready to cooperate with ICC to explore the innovative model for Sino-European cooperation.

Mr. Henrich Guntermann made the detailed presentation of how European countries and people came to understand the Belt and Road cooperation and their attitudes. He said, Chinese and European leaders deepen the cooperation with mutual benefits, while Europeans have the better understanding of the Belt and Road Initiative. Nearly at every important European meeting, there will be a special session dedicated to the discussion of the Belt and Road Initiative and how European countries participate in. ECTT has turned the good will of Sino-European cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative into the action, and introduced German latest equipment and technologies into China in line with the actual demands of Chinese market. The related work proceeds smoothly, from which the concerned Chinese and German parties benefit in due course. The cooperative spirit of the Belt and Road Initiative has seeped into the hearts of Chinese and Europeans. ECTT will actively cooperate with ECMDC and ICC-NDRC to execute more and more Sino-European cooperation with mutual benefits.

Mr. CAO Wenlian proposed that ICC-NDRC be willing to work with ECMDC and ECTT to jointly establish China-Europe Green Fund, which will provide the funding support for the upgrading of Chinese environment protection industries, and merging and acquisition of European advanced green technologies and companies. Mr. ZHANG Yi and Mr. Henrich Guntermann showed their positive attitudes towards this proposal. They said, ECMDC and ECTT would contact EU HQ, EU Member States, European banks, the concerned funds and industrial companies in order to have the full exchange of views and evaluate this proposal. It is expected that the future China-EU Green Fund gradually become the special fund whose mission is to facilitate joint research and development, two-way technology transfer, two-way talent training, two-way industrial upgrading between China and Europe in the aspects of green technology and environment protection. With the consistent dedication of ICC-NDRC, ECMDC and ECTT, China-EU Green Fund can be the excellent showcase of Sino-European cooperation on the Belt and Road science-technology innovation and financial partnership. 

ECMDC and ICC-NDRC exchanged their views on other topics with the shared interests, such as the holding of high-level forums and the buildup of think tank. Both parties defined the road map for the follow-up.