The first China-US Circular Economy Cooperation Forum was successfully held in Beijing
According to the National Development and Reform Commission, on September 6, 2024, under the guidance and support of the Circular Economy Task Force of the China-Us Climate Action Working Group, the China Circular Economy Association and the US-China Business Council jointly held the first China-Us Circular Economy Cooperation Forum in Beijing. The forum aims to implement the China-Us Sunnylands Statement on Strengthening Cooperation to Address the Climate Crisis (hereinafter referred to as the "Sunnylands Statement"), build a circular economy exchange and cooperation platform for the business communities, social organizations and research institutions of the two countries, and promote more practical cooperation results between the two countries.
Zhao Chenxin said that tackling climate change is the common cause of all mankind, which cannot be achieved without the cooperation of China and the United States. The holding of the China-Us Circular Economy Cooperation Forum is an important measure to implement the Sunnylands Statement and another milestone in China-Us circular economy cooperation. It is of great significance for China and the United States to jointly tackle the climate crisis. I hope that government departments, enterprises, research institutes and think tanks of China and the United States will strengthen policy dialogue, deepen technological exchanges and strengthen practical cooperation on circular economy.
John Podesta said that circular economy is an area of common concern of the United States and China, and he hoped that representatives of the two sides could exchange experience, identify business opportunities and strengthen cooperation through the forum. Liu said that China and the United States share broad common interests in addressing climate change and promoting the process of global sustainable development, and he hoped that the two sides can give full play to their respective advantages and carry out exchanges and mutual learning and cooperation. Xie said China and the United States are fellow travelers in tackling climate change, and cooperation on circular economy can become a growth point for bilateral cooperation. Burns said climate cooperation plays an important role in US-China relations, and he is willing to strengthen cooperation with the Chinese government to play a leading role in the global response to climate change. Xie said that China-Us climate cooperation benefits both countries and the world, and circular economy is an important area, hoping that the two sides will continue to deepen cooperation and contribute more wisdom and strength to the global response to the climate crisis. After the opening ceremony, Stephen Polasky, Member of the American Academy of Sciences and Professor at the University of Minnesota, He Kebin, member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Dean of the Institute of Carbon Neutrality at Tsinghua University, Serena McElveen, Secretary of the Department of the Environment of Maryland, Li Yunpeng, Secretary of the Party Committee of China Petroleum and Chemical Industry Federation, Mike He, President of the American Chamber of Commerce in China, Chen Zaegen, Chairman of Baowu Group Environmental Resources Technology Co., LTD., Gu Zishan, Vice chairman of ExxonMobil (China) Investment Co., LTD., Katarina Hayes, Deputy Director of the California Environmental Agency, Zou Ji, CEO of Energy Foundation and President of China, Yu Feng, President of Honeywell China, Zhang Yuping, Deputy General manager of Grameen Group, Shi Jiaqi, Chief group affairs officer of PepsiCo Asia Pacific and Greater China, and other 12 guests delivered keynote speeches, focusing on the development of circular economy and coping with climate change.
In the afternoon of September 6, the Forum held four parallel closed-door meetings, and the participants had in-depth exchanges on topics such as circular economy to help greenhouse gas emission reduction, promotion and application of recycled materials, plastic pollution control and recycling, and enhancing the recycling value of waste under new business forms and new consumption patterns.
About 460 representatives from the National Development and Reform Commission of China, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, the Ministry of Commerce, the General Administration of Market Regulation, the United States Department of State, the Department of Energy and other government departments, as well as enterprises, industry associations and research institutions of the two countries attended the forum.