Minister of Infrastructure and the Environment of the Netherlands, Melanie Schultz van Haegen has arrived in Beijing for a two-day working visit at the invitation of China’s Minister of Water Resources, Mr Chen Lei.
Her delegation includes representatives from several Dutch companies, knowledge institutes (including Deltares) and Rijkswaterstaat (the executive branch of the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment).
On Monday, Minister Schultz met with her colleague Mr Chen Lei to discuss and agree on the continuation of the longstandig Sino-Dutch water cooperation.
They signed a new Memorandum of Understanding under which Rijkswaterstaat will be working with businesses and knowledge institutes on further developing the Sino-Dutch water innovation agenda.
Together with Minister Chen Lei, Minister Schultz also opened a Water Seminar, focused on the further exploration of issues on the innovation agenda.
Later in the week, Minister Schultz will visit the Huaihe River. The river basin here closely resembles that of the Rhine, but the difference in climate means that flood risk management and water availability issues are much more severe here.
The Netherlands and China are already conducting research together and sharing knowledge regarding flooding and dyke integrity.