The EU puts a lot of emphasis on promoting a more sustainable economy within Europe and at an international cooperation level. The growing relationship of China and the EU in areas such as trade, security, economic governance, and its increased interest in promoting a more sustainable and greener socio-economic model have turned China into a key partner for tackling environmental challenges on a global scale.

In order to discuss such relevant issues, the EPC organised an ‘EU-China Roundtable’, in cooperation with the Mission of People’s Republic of China to the EU. Speakers included Zhang Hongtao, Counsellor of the State Council and former Chief Engineer of Ministry of Land and Natural Resources, Nikolaos Kontinakis, Project Coordinator, EUROCITIES, Zhang Yantong, Director General of the Counsellor - Service Department of Counsellors’ Office of the State Council and Timo Mäkelä, Director of Directorate E (Global and Regional Challenges, LIFE) DG Environment, European Commission.

The speakers from both sides presented the energy and resource challenges and discussed ways to create more sustainable and greener societies, building on the success of existing measures and projects in EU and China. They agreed on the importance of increasing EU-China cooperation in the future in terms of knowledge exchange and sharing of best practice in the areas of environmental sustainability, resource and energy efficiency and urban development.