Counsellor from the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in China Visited CACE

2018-11-08

On November 7, 2018, Anne te Velde, the Infrastructure and Environment Counsellor of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in China, Freek van Eijk, the Director of Holland Circular Hotspot visited the China Association of Circular Economy (CACE). Deputy secretary general Wei Yumei of CACE, International Cooperation Department director Ma Jinjin, Strategic Planning Department director Liu Junxia, secretary general of the Remanufacturing Special Committee Shi Peijing, and vice secretary general of Technology Innovation Strategic Alliance for Waste Textiles Comprehensive Utilization Industry Gu Mingming received the visit. The two sides conducted in-depth exchanges on the circular economy fields.

Ms.Wei Yumei welcomed the Counsellor and introduced the current main work and the focus of the future work of CACE. Ms.Wei Yumei pointed out that in recent years, CACE has strengthened cooperation with national embassies in China and relevant international organizations /institutions, which has achieved remarkable results. Under the framework of the China-EU Circular Economy Memorandum, we hope to establish a long-term cooperation mechanism with the Dutch Embassy in China in bid to jointly promote the cooperation and development of the circular economy between China and the Netherlands.

 Ms. Anne te Velde expressed her gratitude to the reception of CACE and introduced the development status and planning of the Dutch circular economy. The Netherlands is a hot spot for the global circular economy. In 2016, the Dutch government promulgated “A Circular Economy in the Netherlands by 2050”. The Government-wide programme is aimed at developing a circular economy in the Netherlands by 2050. By 2030, an (interim) objective of a 50% reduction in the use of primary raw materials (minerals, fossil and metals). The Netherlands will take the lead in promoting the development of a circular economy in the five major areas:  biomass and food, plastics, the manufacturing industry, construction sector and consumer goods.

Established by the Dutch government, The Holland Circular Hotspot (HCH) is a public-private initiative that wants to make Circular Economy happen by sharing knowledge and innovation and stimulate international partnerships by connecting governments, knowledge institutions and businesses. HCH creates and strengthen circular economy export and investment opportunities.Mr. Freek van Eijk shared typical models and cases of circular economy in the fields of city scan, food and biomass, plastics and textiles from the Netherlands.

The two sides exchanged experiences on policies, typical models and innovative technologies in areas such as industrial park construction and base construction, disposable plastic packaging, remanufacturing industry, and recycling of waste textiles.

CACE and the Dutch Embassy in China, HCH have reached consensus on strengthening the cooperation in the circular economy and the signing of cooperation agreements between the two institutions. The two sides hope to establish a long-term cooperation mechanism to jointly promote the development of circular economy in China and Netherlands.