Unity urged in mining sector still stagnant from crisis
Source: chinadaily.com.cn Citation: chinadaily.com.cn Date: Nov. 4, 2013
Mining is one of the most important sectors in the global economic exchanges and cooperation.”
---JIA DAMING, MINISTER OF LAND AND RESOURCES
Shown here is the opening ceremony of the China Mining Conference and Exhibition 2013. This
year’s event has more than 40 sub-forums on various subjects.
PHOTOS PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY
The event provides an open platform for exhibitors, including governmental organizations from more
than 20 countries and regions.
Government officials and industry insiders called for open markets and global collaboration as a way to make the most of the challenges and opportunities in the mining industry at the China Mining Conference and Exhibition 2013, which kicked off on Nov 3 in Tianjin.
Currently, the world economy is still in a period of deep adjustment, and the recovery is being undermined by unbalanced development models and stagnation, said Jiang Daming, minister of land and resources, said at the opening ceremony that Given this situation, growth world’s mining industry has slowed down, he said, adding that industrial restructuring and technological revolution have provided opportunities.
He said China will develop innovative exploratory technologies, carry out the eco-friendly mining strategy and improve mining administration, regulations and service systems.
As the establishment of the Shanghai Free Trade Zone marks a milestone in China’s opening-up process, he said the Chinese government will continue international cooperation in the geological research and mining sectors, encouraging foreign investment that represent advanced technologies.
“Mining is one of the most important sectors in the global economic exchanges and cooperation,” Jiang said.
“Now at such a time when the whole world finds difficulties in the recovering its economy, the mining industry of all countries must join hands for a common goal - the sustainable development of the mining industry, which can provide a sound support to the world economy’s recovery.
“Mining is a knowledge and technology-intensive industry,” he said. “Its sustainable development must be supported by technical innovation.”
He called for increased investment in mining technologies and talent, improved market orders and more dialogue among different economies to achieve mutual benefit.
Australian Minister of Industry Ian McFarlane said that relations between China and his home country have been consistently characterized by interpersonal exchanges.
He said China is Australia’s most important trading partner in the long turn, and the success of the trading relationship is “the most visible” in the resources and energy sectors.
Australia’s exports to China total around $500 billion annually.
China is also Australia’s top export destination for iron ore, accounting for nearly 70 percent, and the second-largest export market for coal.
China’s demand for Australia’s resources is important for the Australian economy as it “creates jobs and revenue, and improves technical development, and has protected Australia from the worst effects of the global financial crisis”.
Meeting the global energy demand requires significant investment, and the best way to achieving the investment is through open and free trade, McFarlane said.
However, he added that free trade agreements are difficult to negotiate, and they require patience, confidence and trust.
“The challenge now is for us to work together to ensure that we keep our investment and trade open and free and to maximize our share of economic interests in a sensible and practical way,” he said.
However, Tan Yaling, chief economist at the Bank of China, warned Chinese companies against attempting to globalize their operations too quickly. He suggested domestic resources companies focus more on real economy than financing.
“They should learn from those developed countries that have grown from the primary stage to the middle, and to the advanced stage,” she said in a keynote speech.
“The primary stage features fast speed and large scale,” she explained. “In the middle stage, they will find the correct direction of R&D, and the advanced stage is about expansion.”
“The Chinese economy has not yet developed to the stage of expansion,” she said.
This year’s China Mining has more than 40 themed sub-forums, with a total exhibition area of 26,000 square meters.
The exhibitors include governmental organizations from more than 20 countries and regions.
Canada, Australia and Argentina, have participated in the expo for many years, but there are also newcomers this year, like Kenya and New Zealand. One of the highlights this year is a sub-forum about the green mines.
According to a plan by the Ministry of Land and Resources, mines across the nation will meet the standards of “green mines” by 2020, but now only around 500 of the total of 100,000 mines are qualified.
Industry insiders said this provides “great market potential” for global mining companies and service providers. (By Zhang Zhao in Tianjin,
About CHINA MINING
Since first held in 1999, the scope and influence of CHINA MINING has grown rapidly year by year. As a global mining summit forum and exhibition, CHINA MINING Congress and Expo has become one of the world’s top mining events, and one of the world’s largest mining exploration, development and trading platforms, covering all aspects of the whole mining industry chain, including geological survey, exploration and development, mining rights trading, mining investment and financing, smelting and processing, mining techniques and equipment, mining services, etc. playing an active promotion role in creating exchange opportunities and enhancing mutual cooperation between domestic and foreign mining enterprises.
CHINA MINING Congress and Expo 2014 will be held at Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Center in Tianjin on October 20-23, 2014. We invite you to join the event and to celebrate the 16th anniversary of CHINA MINING with us. For more information about CHINA MINING 2014, please visit: www.chinaminingtj.org.
