China, S. Korea to boost environmental cooperation

The International Energy Conservation Environmental Protection Association (IEEPA), a Beijing based NGO, signed a strategic cooperation agreement with South Korea's Daegu Science and Technology Park (DTP) at the South Korean Embassy in Beijing last week.

The agreement aims to establish a support system for energy conservation and environmental protection, and would promote the establishment of ecological parks and a Sino-Korean business cooperation base.

In early July, Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a visit to South Korea. During his visit, President Xi said the two sides should further expand mutually-beneficial cooperation in economy and trade, adding that the two countries should nurture new cooperation growth points in fields such as new energy, environment and carbon reduction.

The mutual political trust between the Chinese and South Korean governments also promotes the people-to-people exchange. Kim Yeongsam, Minister Counselor of the South Korean Embassy in China, pointed out that the extensive economic relationship between China and South Korea is boosting business cooperation in different fields. "This strategic agreement is significant for Sino-Korean people-to-people communication and cooperation," he said.

Li Junyang, general secretary of IEEPA, noted that the environmental industry, one of China's emerging industries, demands more advanced technologies. Therefore, companies from South Korea will have access to more opportunities in the Chinese market, he said.