EU-China Trust has organised an official visit from high level authorities of Hefei to Spain, meeting different key organisations, public administrations and private sector stakeholders with the aim of promoting cooperation in the field of sustainable policies.
A high level delegation spearheaded by the Vice-mayor of Hefei, Ms. Ming Zhao, will be visiting Spain in the first week of September. The aim of the trip is to explore the Spanish electric car and sustainable mobility sectors, with visits to local companies. EU-China Trust, association born with the objective of fostering cooperation in the field of sustainable finance between Europe and China, has carried out a key role in fostering this cooperation and has become an official representative of Hefei in Europe. This visit represents a remarkable opportunity for bringing together two regional centres of great importance in the development of sustainable mobility. On one side, Hefei is the world capital of electric vehicles. On the other side, Spain is a powerhouse when it comes to renewable energies as well as in the European automotive industry which is undergoing a transition towards electric vehicles. The agenda includes visits to Madrid, Barcelona and Salamanca, where the delegation will meet with academic authorities, key institutions and public authorities, such as the Chamber of Commerce of Spain or Invest in Spain. It is worth noting that the ongoing relationship between Hefei and Salamanca started with the signature of a joint letter between the mayors of both cities, with the help of EU-China Trust and with the purpose of building a foundation for cooperation in the realm of sustainable policies. At the same time, Hefei University of Technology and EU-China Trust have been working for months in the search for an academic partner in a Spanish university to design a joint Master’s programme in the field of sustainable finance and linked to electric mobility. This programme would be the first in the world in this field and one of the first ones in bringing together universities from China and Europe in a joint project. In November, a delegation from China’s Ministry of Education, together with Hefei university, will visit Spain to further advance this project. With the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between Spain and China, this visit becomes especially meaningful.
