China, US launch new partnership programs to tackle environmental issues

WASHINGTON -- China and the United States on Tuesday announced six new partnership programs to tackle challenges in environmental protection, clean energy, and climate change.

Among the six new EcoPartnership programs, the Boeing Company and the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China will establish a pilot plant to convert waste oil into aviation biofuels that could reduce emission by 50-80 percent compared with regular jet fuel.

Columbia University and the Baotou Iron and Steel group will work on converting iron and steel slag waste and recycle it for use in other industrial processes.

The third partnership program, joined by Sea Turtles 911 and Hainan Normal University, will focus on sea turtle protection, including tracking the sea turtle migration, helping restore habitats, and fostering community involvement in the protection.

Other partnership programs are a joint project by the University of Kentucky and Jiangsu Wisdom Engineering and Technology Company to sequester 3,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually, a 20 megawatt concentrated solar power project by the Wilson Solarpower Company and the Shenzhen Enesoon Science & Technology Company, as well as the establishment of an online air pollution monitoring system by Ramboll Environ, IMACC and the Suzhou State Environment Protection High-Tech Industrial Park.

According to Wang Xiaotao, vice chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, the new EcoPartnership programs will not only benefit the two countries, but also help enhance sustainable development for the whole world.

The announcement of new EcoPartnership programs came as top officials from the world's two largest economies are gathering here for their annual high-level talks to deepen cooperation in strategic and economic issues and further promote people-to-people exchanges.