Energy

China, Indonesia to expand energy cooperation

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-10-19 16:52
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NANNING - China wants to expand its energy cooperation with Indonesia, particularly in the clean and recyclable energy sectors, to address energy security and climate change, a Chinese top energy official said Tuesday.

Zhang Guobao, head of the National Energy Administration (NEA), made the remarks at the fourth Indonesia-China Energy Forum on the sidelines of the seventh China-ASEAN Expo, which opened Tuesday in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

More than 200 government officials and energy industry representatives from China and Indonesia participated in the forum, co-sponsored by China's NEA and the Indonesian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.

In his speech at the forum, Zhang said China and Indonesia have cooperated well in the energy sector in recent years.

Indonesia serves as the second largest source of China's coal imports. In 2009, China imported 35.4 million tons of coal from Indonesia, which also supplies 3 million tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) every year to east China's Fujian province, according to Zhang.

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Over the years China has invested in developing Indonesia's hydro power projects, oil-gas fields and coal mines.

Zhang said the worldwide rapid development of the low-carbon and clean energy sectors will create more opportunities for China and Indonesia to cooperate in fields such as hydro power, wind power, solar power and geothermal energy through investment in infrastructure, power transmission and energy trade for instance.

The Chinese top energy official said China is also willing to discuss with Indonesia the potential cooperation on the peaceful use of nuclear power.

Mustafa Abubakar, Indonesian State-Owned Enterprises Minister, said Indonesia and China complement each other well in energy development and consumption, and he hoped to expand Indonesia's cooperation on natural gas, oil, coal, electricity and recyclable resources with China.

He said Indonesia was in the midst of reforming the energy sector and planned to increase government investment in new energy and mineral resources exploration, and promote energy conservation and diversification in the country.