Japan and China concluded memorandum in 17 energy efficiency and environment fields
On February 11th, the governments of Japan and China held the “Japan-China Energy Conservation and Environment Forum” for the purpose of enhancing their cooperation in the energy efficiency and environmental fields, and concluded a Memorandum of Cooperation in 17 business projects including hydrogen utilization and energy saving in buildings.
FY2022 marked the 16th year of the forum, which started in 2006 on the initiative of Mr. Toshifumi Nikai, the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry at that time, as a meeting to address energy efficiency and environmental issues common to both counties. The forum, which had been held alternately in Tokyo and Beijing, started to be held online due to expansion of the new corona virus infection since FY2020.
Taking hydrogen businesses and other projects into consideration, Mr. Yasutoshi Nishimura, the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, emphasized that cooperation between China and Japan to promote realistic transition with the aim of achieving stable supply and carbon neutrality will contribute to the whole world. He also stated that Japan would like to further strengthen economic exchanges with China and indicated his will to deepen cooperation between both countries mainly in the energy and environmental fields.
He Lifeng, the Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, who is known as one of closest confidants of Xi Jinping, stated that green economy had been focused on in the National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party in the last year and these fields had been becoming more and more important. Li Fei, the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Commerce, suggested enhancement of interactions between senior officers such as ministers of both countries.
Japan and China had signed memorandums for 413 issues in the past forums, meaning that memorandums for 430 issues in total have been concluded with the addition of 17 items concluded in this fiscal year.