Minister XU Guanhua received James Connaughton, Chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) of the US Whitehouse on August 30.

Minister XU first briefed on China’s Medium and Long-Term S&T Development Plan. He stressed that China had granted energy, resource and environmental issues with national priorities and hoped to resort to scientific advancement to address bottlenecks in social and economic development. Minister XU believed that China and US should strengthen S&T cooperation in energy and environment, especially in fields like R&D and industrialization of clean coal technology, new and renewable energies, energy efficiency and energy-efficient construction. He hoped that the two sides could further cooperation in these fields and launch big joint projects, which in turn would inject vigor into Sin-US S&T cooperation and benefit both countries.

Chairman Connaughton briefed on the latest development of the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate initiated by the United States, especially the engagement of business communities of both countries in the Partnership and their joint efforts in launching projects. He said that US was considering a bilateral initiative to enhance cooperation in next-generation technology of highly efficient and clean power generation with low emissions and expecting positive response from China. Mr. Connaughton also briefed on US’s latest oceanic R&D strategy, new energy development projects and latest development in bilateral efforts to promote the transfer of environment friendly technologies.

Mr. David Sedney, Charge d’affaire of US Embassy to China, and Harlan Waton, Senior Climate Negotiator and Special Representative of US Department of State joined the meeting. Attendants also included officials from Department of International Cooperation, Department of Social Development and Department of High and New Technology Development and Industrialization of MOST.