On September 28, 2006, visiting Chinese Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan of the State Council met with the Norwegian business community and delivered a speech. He pointed out that it is the common aspiration of both the Chinese and the Norwegian people to protect the earth and environment and realize sustainable development. The entrepreneurs of both countries should make best use of their advantages and expand the mutually beneficial cooperation in such fields as resources development and environmental protection so as to make greater contribution to the sustainable development of mankind.

Zeng said that the rapid economic growth and accelerating urbanization and industrialization of China have made the contradiction between economic growth and environmental protection increasingly sharp. To reduce the influence of traditional fossil energy on climate change and ecological environment and raise energy security, China is speeding up the development and utilization of new and renewable energy resources such as hydro, nuclear, wind and solar power and biomass and actively develops oil substitutes including coal liquefaction and ethanol fuel. To develop new and renewable energy resources in China enjoys great market potential. It is hoped that the Norwegian businesses seize the opportunity to increase investment in this area, broaden the bilateral exchanges of human resources, technologies and managerial experience and push the bilateral energy cooperation to a higher level.

Zeng noted that the Chinese government takes environmental protection as a basic national policy while Norway enjoys rich experience and advanced technologies in environmental protection. We welcome related Norwegian organizations and businesses to participate in China's environmental protection undertaking and conduct wide exchanges and cooperation in such areas as pollution prevention and treatment, natural ecology and biodiversity protection, coping with climate change, developing the environmental protection technologies and promoting the development of related industries so as to play a bigger role in protecting the home of the entire mankind. He also expressed hope that related agencies and businesses of the two countries could expand pragmatic cooperation in marine transportation and fishery, sea farming and seafarer export in a bid to boost the development of the marine industry of both countries.

On the same day, Zeng arrived at Stavanger and visited Statoil.