Simon Crean, the Australia Minister for Trade shakes hand with Li Miaojuan, Director of Guangdong Development and Reform Commission in the Australian Clean Energy seminar opened in Guangzhou on August 12 (Photo: newsgd.com)

Guangdong and Australian companies are encouraged to develop commercial cooperation in clean energy and take an initiation in tackling the global challenge of climate change in the Australian Clean Energy seminar opened in Guangzhou on August 12.

Simon Crean, the Australia Minister for Trade in the Clean Energy seminar opened in Guangzhou on August 12. (Photo: newsgd.com)

Simon Crean, the Australia's Minister for Trade addressed the opening session of the Clean Energy Seminar. “There is a great opportunity for Australian providers of environmental technologies to take an active role in assisting Guangdong move towards a more energy efficient economy," Mr Crean said, "Australia's experts of LNG to Guangdong already make an important contribution to lowering emissions from power generation in the region."

Mr Crean also noted the strength of the people to people links and the wide and diverse trading relationship between Australia and Guangdong. In 2007, southern China took 20% of Australia's exports to China, while Guangdong itself accounted for almost 30% of China's exports to Australia, he said.

Li Miaojuan, Director of Guangdong Development and Reform Commission in the Australian Clean Energy seminar opened in Guangzhou on August 12 (Photo: newsgd.com)

“Guangdong has got rapid economy development with relatively lower energy consumption”, Li Miaojuan, Director of Guangdong Development and Reform Commission, said in the seminar, “Guangdong province has been make efforts to promoted use of clean energy such as nature gas, wind power, renewable energy and so on, but compared to the developed countries, especially Australia, gaps still exist.”

Guangdong started China’s first LNG terminal and import LNG from Australia in 2006.

The Clean Energy Seminar was organized by Austrade as part of an Australian Clean Energy Mission visit to Beijing and Guangzhou. Companies participating in the Mission include world leader in wind energy development, leading integrated energy company provider of renewable energy and leader in the field of emissions, water and waste auditing.

Simon Crean also officially inaugurated the Australian Consulate-General's new Chancery in Guangzhou yesterday morning, when he extended an official invitation to Guangdong Party Secretary Wang Yang to visit Australia later this year for discussions with government and corporate representatives on deepening economic and trade linkages.

Editor: Yan