Ida Auken, Danish Minister for the Environment and Chen Lei, Chinese Minister for Water Resources, met today in Zhengzhou. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the relationship between Denmark and China when it comes to water resources, and the future plans for the bilateral relationship in the area.
Planning the future through dialogue
After the meeting, Auken participated in the China Europe Water Platform High Level Event. The China-Europe Water Platform (CEWP) was established by China and EU earlier this year with a Chinese-Danish lead. The platform was established to set into focus how Europe can participate in solving the challenges China has in the water area.
During the High Level Event Minister Auken and Minister Chen had a Policy Dialogue session and a signing ceremony of the CEWP 2012-2015 work programme. A row of Danish companies operating in the area as well as high level Chinese employees from the Ministry of Water Resources participated in the event.
“Denmark takes China’s challenges to ensure clean drinking water very seriously. We know that Europe and Denmark have the solutions that China needs. We can create a sustainable development together which benefits the Chinese and European people. That´s why the opening of China-Europe Water Platform is an important step,” says Auken.
Building up platforms for further collaboration
Tomorrow Tuesday 25 September Auken will hold a speech at the opening ceremony of the 5th International Yellow River Forum and do the opening speech at the CEWP Thematic Session on Groundwater Management at the forum. After the forum the Minister flies to Chongqing to open the Chongqing-Denmark Water Days 2012 on Wednesday. Later on Wednesday Minister Auken has a bilateral meeting with Minister of Environmental Protection, Mr. Zhou Shengxian, in Beijing before she returns to Denmark on Thursday 27 September.
