On July 24, Xu Huadong, deputy Party secretary and mayor of Taicang, Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu province, met with Jennifer Morgan, state secretary and special envoy for International Climate Action at the German Federal Foreign Office, during her visit to the city to inspect the Sino-German Energy Efficiency and Climate Network pilot program.

Xu Huadong (middle right), deputy Party secretary and mayor of Taicang, talks with Jennifer Morgan (middle left), state secretary and special envoy for International Climate Action at the German Federal Foreign Office, on July 24. [Photo/WeChat account: tcfbgw]

Xu briefed Morgan on Taicang's economic progress and principles of green, sustainable development. Over 500 German companies in this "home of German enterprises in China" exemplify green practices for other businesses. He also expressed hope for increased cooperation with Germany in the future. 

Morgan introduced the goals of energy transition in Germany and said that Taicang's principle of sustainable development is in line with that of Germany. She praised the role of the Sino-German Energy Efficiency and Climate Network pilot program and expressed her confidence in Taicang's future green development.

Initiated jointly in June 2021 by Taicang High-Tech Zone and German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ), the Sino-German Energy Efficiency and Climate Network aims to promote energy efficiency and the reduction of carbon emissions.

By September 2023, the project's first phase had achieved significant results, saving over 25,000 megawatt-hours of energy and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by more than 38,000 metric tons annually after three years of implementation.