The cooperation between China and ASEAN in the energy sector is growing very fast. During the 2nd East Asia Summit Clean Energy Forumco-hosted by the National Energy Administration (NEA) of the People’s Republic of China and the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE) in Hainan, China (18-19 November 2015), ACE promoted the energy development in ASEAN and sought discussions to support ASEAN’s efforts in energy, with various key players in energy from China and other East Asian countries.

Credit : ACE

Credit : ACE

As a result, on 28 April 2016, ACE received a courtesy visit from China Nuclear Engineering Group (CNEC), led by Mr. Shu Weiguo, Chief Economist of the Group. CNEC is one of Chinese key state-owned companies with 60 years of cumulative successful history in the business of nuclear power plant (NPP) construction, nuclear industrialisation and other clean energy (hydro, wind, solar, biomass, etc.). CNEC is co-developing high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTR) technology with Tsinghua University, and promoting HTR technology overseas under the authorisation of the Chinese government.  Mr. Shu Weiguo says that CNEC always sees great potential in ASEAN clean energy market, and is keen to find a long-term strategic partner in ACE to support the energy development in ASEAN.

Coming after the endorsement of the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) 2016-2025 by the 33rd ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting (AMEM) last October in Kuala Lumpur, (Malaysia), ACE sees that this cooperation can support ASEAN in pursuing its aspirational targets: to reduce its energy intensity by 20% in 2020 based on 2005 level, and to increase renewable energy to 23% in its energy mix by 2025.  A cooperation on nuclear, clean coal technologies and other clean technologies would be beneficial for those targets.  For that reason, ACE and CNEC signed the Memorandum of Understanding for their long-term cooperation on 23 May 2016 at ACE Building, Jakarta, Indonesia.    Attended and supported by the Mission of the People’s Republic of China to ASEAN’s office, the MoU signing by ACE’s Executive Director, Dr. Sanjayan Velautham and CNEC’s President, Mr. Wang Shoujun,  marked a stronger and longer cooperation between ASEAN Member States and China. The MoU’s implementation would be under the directives and guidelines of related ASEAN energy Sub-sector Networks. (BS)

Credit : AC

Credit : ACE