On Thursday, March 8, 2018, the Partners for International Business (PIB) “Urban Challenges – Integrated Sustainable Solutions” was signed and kicked-off at the office of the Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland (RVO) in Den Haag.
The newly formed PIB, consisting of 9 companies and institutions including Deltares, Eijkelkamp, Institute of Housing and Urban Studies (IHS), NL Urban Solutions, Nautilus, Priva, Tauw, Wageningen University & Research (WUR) and coordination partner Dutch Sino Business Promotions (DSBP) signed the covenant with RVO in the presence of Mr. Maurits Boomars, Policy Advisor from Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment, Mr. Ronald Koster, Senior Account Manager Asia from the Municipality of Den Haag and Mr. Bo Wang, Second Secretary Economic and Commercial Counsellor’s Office Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Special thanks to Mrs. Anne te Velde, Counsellor for Infrastructure and Environment at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in China for her video message from Beijing to congratulate the launch of the PIB consortium and address the continual support from the governmental side. Representatives of the PIB members celebrated the official kick-start of this PIB consortium after almost a year of thorough preparation. Members of the consortium are excited to further expand their current project leads in China and to approach to potential local partners in the coming future.
“Nan Su encourages companies that have similar mindset and expertise in the field to take a leap of faith in going East and explore wider opportunities together.”
During the ceremony, the PIB consortium coordinator Mrs. Nan Su shared about the core value of Dutch integrated sustainable solutions and how it can be a win-win situation for the consortium members as well as for their Chinese counterparts. Nevertheless, based on her years of experiences working with Chinese clients, she identified the potential market, which the consortium is aiming for. She encourages companies that has similar mindset and expertise in the field to take a leap of faith in going East and explore wider opportunities together.
The PIB consortium is dedicated to contribute their knowledge and expertise to China as a response to the environmental challenges due to rapid urban economic development in recent decades. The consortium aims to change the Chinese bias from ad hoc problem solving towards a long term, sustainable and integrated environmental solution. Together with their Chinese counterparts the consortium is ready to launch joint projects for topics like “Sponge City”, which is now a key concept adopted by the Chinese government. One of the main focus areas of this consortium in China is in Xiong’An New Area, which lies in the border of Hebei and Beijing, a new city to be developed according to the latest 13th 5 year plan of the Chinese government. The aim of Xiong’An is to broaden institutional reform, to promote and to focus on more environmentally friendly cities. Thus the consortium is looking forward to be involved in various phases of development of Xiong’An with their local partners.
Current progress of the PIB consortium
In October 2017, the PIB Urban Challenges – Integrated Sustainable Solutions consortium has already made a successful head start as one of the representative of the consortium, Dr. Peter Scholten (IHS) signed MOU with Vanke Group in Guangzhou, the largest real estate development group in China, for opportunities to work together on urban redevelopment projects in the coming future. On top of that, Wageningen University and Research (WUR) has been working closely with their Chinese partner Sun Yet Sen University in Guangzhou in researching applications of urban environmental technologies. Together with the PIB consortium, we hope to build up the momentum to have more collaborations with potential and existing Chinese partners.
“In May 2018, the PIB consortium is planning a roadshow in China.”
Upcoming PIB Events in 2018!
In May 2018, the PIB consortium is planning a roadshow in China. During the trip, the consortium will organize workshops and conferences to share their know-how and meet interested local counterparts. Detailed information about the activities will be announced when available. Furthermore, in the following month, June 2018, the consortium is organizing a summit together with Hebei Institute of Water Resources on “Water security and Future Urban Development” which welcomes interested companies, institutes and governmental bodies from China to join the event. Stay in touch with us and more details will follow by the consortium coordinator, Dutch Sino Business Promotions (DSBP).
If you are interested to become a partner of this consortium or if you would like to know more about the PIB, please feel free to contact us.
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