Delegates attending the APEC Senior Officials' Meeting and related sessions in Guangzhou City of south China's Guangdong Province visited a circular economy industrial park on Friday to observe firsthand China's advancements in sustainable development.
Held from Feb 1 through 10, the meeting marks the first gathering of APEC senior officials this year, as China prepares to host the 33rd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Shenzhen City of Guangdong on Nov 18 and 19.
At the Fushan Circular Economy Industrial Park, waste is turned into useful resources. With facilities including waste-to-energy plants, water treatment systems, and slag recycling, the park plays a key role in addressing Guangzhou's growing waste challenges.
Proper disposal of solid waste is key to protecting the environment, which is a challenge faced by countries around the world. At the park, over 9,000 tons of solid waste are processed every day and converted into electricity and other usable outputs.
"I visited the facilities from waste to energy or electricity, and that's very impressive because its size is amazing. And it's also the place to educate people, especially for children," said Takayuki Niikura, program director of the Energy Working Group at APEC Secretariat.
As the world looks forward to the upcoming APEC summit in Shenzhen, this industrial park stands as a compelling example of how economic prosperity and environmental protection can advance hand in hand, offering a replicable model for regional cooperation on sustainable development.
"This APEC [Economic] Leaders' Meeting and Ministers' Meeting are very unique, because a lot of economic leaders and world leaders [will] come to Shenzhen and discuss about very cutting-edge things," said Niikura.
Delegates attending APEC Senior Officials' Meeting praise China's circular economy
