Sino-US collaboration on clean energy technology will set a good
example for other countries, US Commerce Assistant Secretary David
Bohigian said yesterday.
The two countries have much to gain by working together on
knocking down trade barriers and working jointly in such fields as
alternative energy, he said.
"If China and the United States are not working together, the
problems will only get worse when it comes to air pollution, water
pollution and climate change," Bohigian, whose job mainly concerns
international economic policy, said.
The assistant secretary this week led the Second Clean-Energy
Trade Mission to China. It consists of 17 US companies with
advanced technology ranging from solar power to clean coal.
The continuing rapid growth of the Chinese economy presents
unparalleled opportunities and challenges, he said. "US
clean-energy companies can help China meet its enormous energy
demands while deploying technology that benefits the
environment."
The last trade mission, in April 2007, was the first clean
energy trade mission that the US government had ever led, and
yielded hundreds of millions of dollars worth of sales.
"Having our companies here on the second clean energy trade
mission has helped our countries institutionalize the ability for
our companies to get together.
"Another important step we've made today is opening up a
dialogue on clean energy and energy efficiency, along with our
partners at China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of
Machinery and Electronic Products, the National Development and
Reform Commission and the Ministry of Commerce," he said at
yesterday's US-China Clean-Energy Dialogue.
"I really do expect that will continue in 2009 under a new
president and beyond. Because it really has become a generational
issue, that this generation of policy makers and more and more
voters understand the importance of these issues."
All About
Clean energy,
Climate change
(
China Daily January 10, 2008)
