“As a major producer and consumer, China has entered a new era of energy cooperation[…] is willing to accept more responsibilities and duties according to its capabilities,” said Ji Lin.
The Asian giant has been investing heavily in renewable energy in recent years, and is already the world’s first market for “new energy vehicles,” with 777,000 sold in 2017 and according to Bloomberg the country invested about US$133 billion (MOP1 trillion)) in renewable energy last year.
Despite this, the country continues to be the largest producer of coal in the world, with the pollution generated by that fuel regularly affecting the main cities of the country.
“The promotion of energy coordination on an international scale” is now gaining more importance among the countries that make up the Chinese Silk Road Initiative (better known as One Strip, One Route), but also among the countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations( ASEAN), stressed Ji Lin.
At the same time, Chinese ASEAN chief Chen Dehai said that “energy transformation and the implementation of a low carbon utilization rate must be a focus of the entire international community,” adding that clean energy, both in China and in the ASEAN countries has seen major developments in recent years.
Both energy cooperation and investment in renewable energies are central to Asian countries. According to the official, “energy consumption will increase by 80 per cent in 2040 compared to 2030.”
“The construction by China and ASEAN of a Green Silk Road is expected to progress steadily,” he added.
Xi Jinping, President of China, launched the “Silk Road Economic Route of the Silk Route and the Silk Road Route” (Silk Road) initiative, which is estimated at US$900 billion and aims to reactivate the old trade routes between China and Europe through Central Asia, Africa and Southeast Asia.
The opening ceremony was also attended by the Executive Director of the Macau Gaming Society and the Director General of the IFCE, Ambrose So, who underlined the role Macau can play as a platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, but also with the ASEAN, “as a promotional vehicle for clean energy and smart cities”.
