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China is knocking at America's door. How will we respond? |
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Written On: November/December 2004 |
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One of the most promising aspects of the Northwest Environmental Conference was the attendance of a Chinese delegation, sponsored by the Washington China Relations Council. The Chinese visitors — a mixture of government officials, environmental scientists, academics and private entrepreneurs — came to Seattle looking for American expertise and equipment as they work to deal with numerous environmental problems that developed as a result of their country’s rapid industrial development.
“Selling our environmental technology and pollution control equipment to China opens a whole new opportunity for Washington,” AWB President Don Brunell said. Brunell was among 20 state Chamber presidents who met with China’s U.S. ambassador to make that very point.
“Environmental protection is a concern for the whole world, and is of vital importance to the fate of humankind,” Chen Hongyu, secretary general of the Huai’an municipal government, stated at the conference. “No country can solve all its environmental problems by itself. Strengthening exchanges and cooperation in environmental protection has become a way to effectively solve environmental problems.”
“We Chinese really want to find out about environmental protection in America,” remarked Sun Chi, owner of a private environmental firm in Shanghai. “We’d also like to take back some American technology and introduce it to China. We believe this would be very beneficial.”
China’s membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO) has required it to focus on environmental protection. Major environmental problems in China include:
• Deteriorating water quality.
• Air pollution resulting from reliance on coal in addition to the world’s fastest rate of auto growth.
• Lack of environmental infrastructure.
• Few private environmental firms.
European companies, supported by government subsidies unimaginable in the United States, have already made inroads into the growing and lucrative Chinese environmental protection. Nevertheless, the Chinese are interested in American environmental products and expertise.
“If you are interested in China’s environmental protection market, we sincerely invite you to visit our country to discuss your plans,” Chen said. “We are looking forward to your presence.”
For more information on business opportunities in China, visit the Washington State China Relations Council at www.wscrc.org.
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