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BEIJING, Nov. 1 -- Norwegian companies are making moves on China in order
to cash in on the country's energy demands and also make money helping it solve
its environmental problems.
Last Thursday in Langesund, a town 170 kilometres from Oslo, a two-day
conference addressing C
hina's energy and environmental issues began.
Many Norwegian companies have shown much interest in securing partners and
market opportunities in China so they can transfer technology and supply
equipment here.
Norway gives millions of Norwegian krones (NOKs ) annually to China,
government to government, with a focus on environmental protection.
But now there will be more commercial investment from the Scandinavian
country, said senior officials from the Norwegian Government.
"With regard to the future, China is already becoming a middle income
country, so it is likely that official development assistance (ODA) will
decrease, while investment in research co-operation and commercial projects will
grow," said Inger Johanne Wiese, special advisor at the International Department
under the Norwegian Ministry of Environment.
Norway has reportedly given 20 million NOK (US$3.2 million) to China for
ODA every year since 1995.
The 2005 figure is expected to be 14.5 million NOK (US$2.3 million), she
said.
In order to facilitate Norwegian private companies' involvement with the
Chinese market, Innovation Norway, a government-owned agency supporting
Norwegian firms, plans to set up a Norwegian Energy and Environmental Consortium
in China in February.
"The aim of the consortium is to successfully promote and develop Norwegian
energy and environmental technology, adapted to the Chinese market," said a
statement.
The planned consortium will target Norwegian companies, NGOs
(non-governmental organizations) and research institutes involved in
environmental improvement technology, energy solutions and efficiency
enhancement, by identifying and facilitating partnership opportunities.
AnoxKaldnes AS, a Norway-based water treatment company, is in talks with
Beijing and Sichuan Province. It already supplies water treatment technology for
plants in Guangzhou, Nanjing and Jinan, the capital cities of China's Guangdong,
Jiangsu and Shandong provinces, said Niu Xueyi, the company's chief
representative for North China.
"China is our most important market for the next five to ten years," said
Terje Andersen, vice-president of AnoxKaldnes Global.
Rune V. Engen, manager of Bamble Bruk AS, a Norwegian company involved in
water supply and industrial investment, said he is in preliminary talks with
some Chinese cities to supply bottled water.
Other companies involved with energy conservation, waste recycling and new
energy technology, are also strengthening ties with China so they can get a
niche in the country's domestic energy and environmental sectors.
China, the world's second largest energy consumer after the United States,
is pushing the development of renewable energy options such as solar and wind
power to cut its heavy reliance on coal and oil. It is also beefing up its
energy conservation efforts as well as trying to improve the environment.
(Source: China Daily)
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