On 7th June 2016, the AWP and China’s Foreign Economic Cooperation Office (FECO) of the Chinese Ministry of Environmental Protection signed a landmark MOU in Beijing during the 2016 Global Clean Tech & Green Finance Summit.
The MOU is a breakthrough as it marks AWP’s first MOU in China. Under the MOU, a Sino-Australian Water Technologies Cooperation Hub (SA WaTCH) has been created to match Australian water expertise with Chinese requirements. Australia is one of only four other international hubs. The MOU signing was facilitated by Austrade in China who will continue to be AWP’s in-market partner for the SA WaTCH.
Cooperation areas between the Australian Hub and FECO are focused on water technologies and remediation. Key cooperation areas are:
- Policy update and advice
- Market research and knowledge exchange.
- Business matching and dissemination of technologies in China
- Delegation visits and training
- Demonstration collaborations
Through this partnership, AWP will promote Australian technology through demonstration projects and encourage Australian companies to join the 3iPET platform. The 3iPET platform is an international internet platform for environmental technology exchange operated by FECO. This platform supported by regular visits between Chinese and Australian governments and enterprises will provide substantial opportunities for the Australian water industry to gain rapid access to the Chinese water market.
Australia has two existing governmental MOUs with China related to water, i.e. with the Ministry of Environmental Protection, and with the Ministry of Water Resources. AWP will play an important role within the two.
For more information on the 3iPET platform, please contact Shary Zhang of Austrade in Beijing (shary.zhang@austrade.gov.au)
