Life and Leisure

Vancouver mayor on green team

By Sun Li (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-09-20 09:57

Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson may not be well-known among Chinese people, but his granduncle is a household name in China - Norman Bethune.

A Canadian surgeon, Bethune died in 1939 while tending wounded Chinese soldiers during the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression.

Robertson paid tribute to his granduncle at Dr. Bethune's tomb and memorial hall in Shijiazhuang, Hebei province, at the start of a 12-day trade mission designed to promote clean energy technology. He toured seven Chinese cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong.

"Dr. Bethune is a source of inspiration to improve the world we live in," said Robertson, who has been devoting himself to building a green city, and developing a green economy since he took office in 2008.

"The historic relationship between Canada and China has a powerful role to play today in building a healthier planet."

Robertson added that Chinese and Canadian companies are both well positioned to grow and succeed in global markets.

"My trip is focused primarily on companies in the low-carbon economy, which is progressing very rapidly in both China and Canada. The world markets in clean technology are the fastest-growing industries in the world now," he said. Vancouver is focused on being a green city and implementing low-carbon technology and he said that for Chinese corporations, it is a fantastic gateway to the North American market.

"The Chinese companies I'm visiting have great products that can succeed in other countries. We need to strengthen the network, and make sure of the expansion of low-carbon industries."

As the Vancouver mayor, Robertson says he will serve as a channel for Canadian and Chinese companies to know each other and improve collaboration on low-carbon economic development.

He led a delegation of 22 Canadian corporations to showcase their clean technology products at the Vancouver Pavilion at the Shanghai Expo on Sept 10.

"Canadian technology developed in Vancouver could have great benefits for Chinese cities. And I believe we have much to learn from Chinese companies and cities as well," Robertson said.

According to Robertson, collaborating on developing low-carbon economy will not only bring about a better quality of life, but also help enhance employment prospects for people in China and Canada.

"Creating jobs is a huge economic benefit to cooperation," Robertson said. "The biggest opportunities are where the environment and economy work together."

Vancouver was recently named the greenest city in Canada by Corporate Knights, a Canadian magazine dedicated to the promotion of responsible business practices, and the Conference Board of Canada predicts it will have the fastest growing economy in Canada in 2010.

China Daily