[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 128 (Tuesday, July 6, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40624-40625]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-15225]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
Environmental Technologies Trade Mission
AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice to announce environmental technologies trade mission to
China and Hong Kong, October 26-November 2, 2004.
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SUMMARY: The United States Department of Commerce, International Trade
Administration, U.S. Commercial Service is organizing an Environmental
Technologies Trade Mission to Hong Kong and Beijing and Shanghai, China
on October 26-November 2, 2004. This event offers a timely opportunity
for U.S. firms to tap into some of the world's fastest growing markets
for U.S. environmental equipment and technology.
CONTACT: Office of Business Liaison; Room 5062; Department of Commerce;
Washington, DC 20230; Tel: (202) 482-1360; Fax: (202) 482-4054.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Environmental Technologies Trade Mission
Hong Kong and Beijing and Shanghai, China October 26-November 2, 2004.
Mission Statement
I. Description of the Mission
The United States Department of Commerce, International Trade
Administration, U.S. Commercial Service is organizing an Environmental
Technologies Trade Mission to Hong Kong and Beijing and Shanghai, China
on October 26-November 2, 2004. This event offers a timely opportunity
for U.S. firms to tap into some of the world's fastest growing markets
for U.S. environmental equipment and technology. Target subsectors with
best prospects for U.S exporters to China and Hong Kong include solid
waste (medical and hazardous) treatment, wastewater (municipal and
industrial) treatment, and air pollution control equipment. Mission
participants will benefit from country briefings; one-to-one
appointments with prospective business contacts; high-level meetings
with government officials; and site visits. In addition, the mission is
strategically timed to facilitate attendance at Pollutec China 2004,
November 3-5, 2004, in Shanghai. Offered this year for the first time
in China, Pollutec will build on its 20-year success in France, where
more than 2,200 exhibitors from 32 countries and 63,000 trade visitors
do business annually. Pollutec China 2004 is a U.S. Department of
Commerce Certified Trade Fair.
II. Commercial Setting for the Mission
China is expected to spend $84 billion (1.2% of GDP) on
environmental protection to meet the goals of the 10th five-year plan
(2001-2005). During this 5-year period, the central government is
expected to make 11.4% ($9.7 billion) of the investment, while 34% will
come from provincial and local governments and the remaining 55% from
business enterprises. Beijing alone is projected to spend at least $5.4
billion on environmental clean-up in preparation for the 2008 Olympics.
China and its foreign lenders still spend far more on the water
sector than on air and solid waste, especially on the clean-up of
priority river basins and lakes, thus offering the best opportunities
for U.S. exporters. In November 2000, the State Council issued a notice
requiring all cities with populations over 100,000 to build wastewater
treatment facilities by 2005. To meet funding demands, water tariffs
have been on the rise in most major cities in the last few years, and
cities are starting to levy increased wastewater surcharges. Among the
water pollution issues, groundwater contamination is a serious problem.
Industrial factories are top groundwater polluters. Local environmental
protection bureaus are responsible for inspection and investigation of
groundwater pollution emergencies, and urge polluters to complement
clean-up of the pollution. Best water and wastewater export
opportunities to China include those related to river basin management
and flood control, water reuse, and sludge treatment and disposal.
Specific products in strong demand include water monitoring
instruments, drinking water purification products, and industrial
wastewater treatment equipment.
Solid waste treatment, predominately through incineration and
landfill, is expanding as China is slowly beginning to enforce its
comprehensive solid and hazardous waste law. At present, China plans to
allocate $1.8 billion for the implementation of this plan, which
includes construction of 31 hazardous waste treatment centers and 300
centralized medical waste treatment facilities; reconstruction,
expansion and establishment of 31 warehouses for radioactive waste at
the provincial level; and the establishment of 31 hazardous waste
registration centers at the provincial level. The State Environmental
Protection Administration is now in the process of identifying advanced
hazardous waste treatment technologies suitable for China's situation.
U.S. companies offering hazardous waste solutions hold strong potential
in the China market.
In the air pollution control subsector, current focuses in China
include SO2 and acid rain control, as well as curbing
vehicle emissions. The most recent regulatory requirements mandate that
China observe an emissions standard equivalent to Europe II by the end
of 2004. It is also reported that China is going to further raise the
emissions standard to Europe III equivalent around the year 2008. In
addition, China requires that all coal-fired power plants install
desulfurization equipment by the year 2010. Air pollution control
products that enjoy the best sales prospects in China include low-cost
flue gas desulfurization and de-NOX systems, air monitoring
instruments, and vehicle emissions control and inspection devices.
The Hong Kong Government has made water pollution control and solid
waste treatment top priorities. While Hong Kong is a service-oriented
economy and its industrial pollution is insignificant, cross-border
pollution remains a big concern. For water and solid waste, the Hong
Kong Government is formulating plans to resolve the problems
internally. In 2002, total government expenditure devoted to
environmental protection work amounted to approximately US$825 million,
including US$190 million for sewage services (planning, design and
construction of sewage systems, and sewage treatment and disposal
[[Page 40625]]
facilities); US$580 million for drainage and water works, improvement
of air quality, prevention of noise problems, and solid waste
treatment; and $55 million for environmental assessment and planning.
The Hong Kong Government has earmarked some US$775 million annually for
environmental infrastructure improvement during the past two years.
Best prospects for U.S. environmental exports to Hong Kong include
analytical instruments, vehicle emission particulate reduction devices,
water filtration equipment (such as biological filtration),
disinfection technologies (UV, membrane and ozonation), analytical
instruments, mechanical waste sorting and separation, composting,
incineration, and waste-to-energy technologies.
III. Goals for the Mission
The goal of the China/Hong Kong Trade Mission is to enable trade
mission participants to gain first-hand market exposure to government
decision makers and private sector potential agents, distributors and
business partners so they can be positioned to take advantage of the
strong environmental business opportunities in China and Hong Kong.
IV. Scenario for the Mission
The Environmental Trade Mission will include three stops: Hong
Kong, Beijing and Shanghai. In each city, trade mission participants
will benefit from country briefings and one-on-one business meetings
with prospective agents, distributors, partners, and end users. In
Shanghai and Beijing companies will also hold high-level meetings with
government officials regarding regulatory and project opportunities, as
well as visit environmental projects holding business potential. After
the close of the trade mission, from November 3-5, mission participants
can opt to remain in Shanghai to visit or exhibit on their own at
Pollutec China 2004. As an added bonus to trade mission companies,
their product literature will be displayed in the USA Pavilion at
Pollutec.
Timetable
Timetable for the trade mission will be as follows:
Hong Kong:
Tuesday, Oct. 26--Late Afternoon Briefing.
Wednesday, Oct. 27--One-on-one meetings; Early evening travel to
Beijing.
Beijing:
Thursday, Oct. 28--Briefing; Meetings with Federal and State
government regulatory and project administration agencies; Site visit.
Friday, Oct. 29--One-on-one meetings.
Shanghai:
Monday, Nov. 1--Briefing; Shanghai Government meetings; Site visit.
Tuesday, Nov. 2--One-on-one meetings; Conclusion.
Wed/Thurs, Nov. 3-5--Optional participation in Pollutec China 04.
V. Criteria for Participant Selection
Relevance of a company's business line to mission goals.
Timeliness of company's signed application and
participation agreement (including a participation fee of $3,400).
Potential for business in China and Hong Kong for the
company.
Minimum of eight and maximum of twelve participating
companies in the mission.
Provision of adequate information on company's products
and/or services, and company's primary market objectives, in order to
facilitate appropriate matching with potential business partners.
Certification that the company meets Departmental
guidelines for participation. A company's products or services must be
either produced in the United States, or, if not, marketed under the
name of a U.S. firm and have at least 51 percent U.S. content of the
value of the finished product or service.
Any partisan political activities (including political
contributions) of an applicant are entirely irrelevant to the selection
process.
Mission recruitment will be conducted in an open and public manner,
including publication in the Federal Register, posting on the Commerce
Department trade mission calendar--http://www.ita.doc.gov/doctm/tmcal.html--and other Internet Web sites, press releases to the general
and trade media, direct mail and broadcast fax, notices by industry
trade associations and other multiplier groups, and at industry
meetings, symposia, conferences, trade shows.
Recruitment for the mission will begin in June 2004 and conclude no
later than September 15, 2004. The mission will target 8-12 companies.
The participation fee for the event will be $3,400 per company. The
participation fee does not include travel and lodging costs.
Applications received after the closing date will be considered only if
space and scheduling constraints permit.
U.S. Contact Information
Julia Rauner Guerrero, Environmental Technologies Team, San Diego
U.S. Export Assistance Center, Phone: (619) 557-2963, E-mail:
[email protected].
Yvonne Jackson, Export Promotion Services, Washington, DC, Phone:
(202) 482-2675, E-mail: [email protected].
Sue Simon, Trade Development, Washington, DC, Phone: 202-482-0713,
E-mail: [email protected].
Dated: June 24, 2004.
John Klingelhut,
Senior Advisor, Export Promotion Services.
[FR Doc. 04-15225 Filed 7-2-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-P