China Europa 2009 Encourages Green Business Between China and Europe

LE HAVRE, France, November 30 - China Europa is a business convention and exhibition which
aims to foster economic exchanges between China and Europe. This
international event takes place in Le Havre from 8 to 10 December with the
theme of Sustainable Urban Development (SUD). It is a unique opportunity for
Chinese and European communities, companies and experts to exchange and share
ideas, and initiate partnerships.

Sustainable Urban Development, a future concern

Cities only cover 2.8% of the Earth's surface. Nevertheless,
they are responsible for 78% of carbon emissions, 76% of wood consumption and
around 60% of water consumption. Experts also predict that in 2100, 80% of
the planet's inhabitants will be living in urban areas.

SUD has become a strategic challenge for communities, on a
local level in order to preserve optimal living standards for their
residents, as well as worldwide for global, contemporary, environmental
problems.

China Europa is included in the official calendar of the
Franco-Chinese collaboration agreement for Sustainable Urban Development
signed in 2007 by Jean- Louis Borloo, the French Minister for Ecology,
Sustainable Development and Planning, and Wang Guangtao, the People's
Republic of China's Minister for Construction.

This agreement notably anticipates the integration of
experiences and the implementation of appropriate action in domains such as
spatial planning, urban development, urban transport, construction science
and techniques, water and sanitation, as well as waste treatment.

China Europa, economic opportunities for both China and Europe

If China is noticeably increasing its efforts with regards to
SUD, it is also proving to be one of the countries with the most negative
environmental impact in the world. For their part, European communities are
joining together to fight against the many factors harming the environment:
traffic pollutions, overuse of space, energy consuming architecture,
exponential waste production, etc.

China Europa will therefore open the debate for solutions to
implement in order to respond to environmental challenges linked to the
expansion of cities, which is a major phenomenon in China as a result of the
current large scale rural depopulation.

Within a commercial context, particularly favourable to
European businesses - the Chinese authorities have officially increased
imports of goods and services from Europe - China Europa is giving Chinese
decision-makers the chance to meet experts, SMEs or global organisations
which are heavily involved in SUD, such as Veolia, Total and Suez
Environnement.

It is also an opportunity for Chinese communities to be
inspired by good practices and projects developed in European countries,
notably in the field of wind energy for which China hopes to triple
investment between now and 2020.

Finally, the Chinese market also offers European businesses
and investors many partnership opportunities. For the port of Le Havre,
situated at the gateway to Paris, China Europa presents a unique occasion to
strengthen its relations with China, whose shipments now represent 21% of its
total port traffic.

    Press contact:

    Johanna Toiviainen
    j.toiviainen@open2europe.com
    Tel. +33(0)1-55-02-14-58
    www.china-europa.org

Press contact: Johanna Toiviainen, j.toiviainen at open2europe.com, Tel. +33(0)1-55-02-14-58