First day of CEWP High-Level Meeting concluded successfully on Wednesday with a morning business seminar and afternoon plenary session. The plenary session included a signing of the China Europe Cooperation Protocol on Sponge Cities between partner consortia.
CEWP business seminar “Opportunities and Challenges of PPP in Water Sector” discussed public-private partnerships from the European and Chinese perspectives. Opening speeches were followed by Chinese and European PPP professionals and companies, including China Public Private Partnerships Center and Dayu Water-saving Group.
The day continued with the high-level plenary session, opened with a speech by Minister of Water Resources of China, Mr. E Jingping. Mr. E discussed water security issues and emphasized the importance of cooperation between China and the EU. Opening addresses were given by Minister of Foreign Trade and Development of Finland, Ms. Anne-Mari Virolainen and representatives from Portugal, EU delegation in China, Sweden, Netherlands and France.
China Europe Cooperation Protocol on Sponge cities was signed by four parties: the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management of the Netherlands, Beijing Water Authority, City of Changde and China Academy of Urban Planning and Design. High-Level Panel Discussion finished the day with the theme “Water Governance of the New Era”.
Mr. E Jingping, Minister of Water Resources of China