Page 8 - AsiaElec Week 50 2022

AsiaElec POLICY AsiaElec

China, Saudi Arabia to expand

joint energy research

CHINA RIYADH-BASED think-tank, The King “Research is fundamentally collaborative,
Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research and I look forward to driving deeper tangi-
Center (KAPSARC), has signed a memorandum ble co-operation in research fellowships and
of understanding (MoU) with the Economics strengthening the collaboration on innovation
& Technology Research Institute (ETRI), a and knowledge exchange between our two
research institute linked with China’s state- institutions,” said KAPSARC’s vice president for
owned oil firm CNPC, on greater co-operation knowledge and analysis, Fahad Alturki.
in energy research. The priorities will be research on energy pol-
“It’s a pleasure to reaffirm a partnership that icy, climate policy, climate change, the energy
has been strong and will continue to be strong. transition, energy efficiency and productivity,
This is a partnership that is an aspiration for the hydrogen, carbon capture and storage (CCS),
developing world as we enter a post-COVID and energy issues under the Belt and Road Ini-
and post-Paris Climate Agreement era,” KAP- tiative (BRI).
SARC president Fahad Alajlan commented. “As important energy producers and consum-
“We see a lot of common interest and alignment ers in the world, China and Saudi Arabia play an
between China’s and Saudi Arabia’s position important role in maintaining the stability of the
when it comes to energy and climate. We both international energy market, addressing climate
understand and reiterate the idea of common change and promoting the realisation of energy
but differentiated responsibility when it comes green transformation goals,” ETRI president Yu
to climate change.” Guo commented.
The two institutions will bolster their research The signing of the MoU comes ahead of an
under the agreement, including in the spheres of inaugural Chinese-Saudi summit planned to
energy, economics, technology, policy and envi- take place this month. “Ahead of President Xi
ronmental concerns. The two sides will hold Jinping’s return visit to Saudi Arabia later this
joint workshops, their experts will exchange week, this MoU will reinvigorate collaboration
ideas, and they will form international co-oper- between these two advisory think-tanks at a
ation and knowledge exchange platforms, and critical time for the world of energy,” said KAP-
undertake peer reviews of research and policy SARC’s director of strategic partnerships, Brian
papers. Efird.™

P8 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 50 13•December•2022