Distinguished Minister K. van Oosterom,
Ladies & Gentlemen,
Today, the Alumni Workshop on Integrated Water Management is being held at the
site of Three Gorges Project. First of all, on behalf of the Ministry of Water
Resources, I would like to express our warmly welcome to the officials of Royal
Netherlands Embassy, IHE professors and Chinese participants, and also I would
like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the trainees.
Since the signing of MOU on the scientific & technical cooperation between the
Ministry of Water Resources of China and the Ministry of Transport, Public
Works and Water Management of the Netherlands, both sides have carried out
widespread scientific & technical cooperation and exchange activities in the
field of water management. The cooperation includes flood control, dike
construction, river dredging, water pollution control and personnel training
etc. In order to enhance the bilateral cooperation, with the financial support
from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, from 1996 the Ministry
of Water Resources began to send Chinese engineers and staffs to the
Netherlands for study. In the past 5 years, we have undertaken 3 courses and
totally 45 people have finished their study at IHE University. After returning
back, they become backbones of different sectors and are put in the very
important positions.
Today trainees for this workshop are mainly from “Three River”, “Three
Lake” and “Flood-control Management” courses. This workshop consists of two
objectives, one is trainees’ feedback about their achievements at IHE, the
other will be the widely exchange in the integrated water management between
two countries.
Stepping into the 21th century, China is facing many new opportunities and
challenges. The sustainable utilization of water resources must be achieved to
meet the demand of the social and economic development. Dutch people have
overcome the threats from oceans and rivers, and successfully protect their
environment from disasters. Strengthening the cooperative ties between China
and the Netherlands, and learning the advanced technology and experience from
the Dutch side, will play an important role in China. I believe Sino-Dutch
cooperation in the field of water management will make more and more
achievements by means of personnel training and technical exchange in the
future. I also hope that every trainee will become a folk envoy between China
and the Netherlands, and contributes to the Sino-Dutch friendship forever.
Thank you.