China’s Belt and Road Energy Partnership Inaugurated Featured
1 May, 2019. The Belt and Road Energy Partnership (BREP) was inaugurated in Beijing, China, on 25 April 2019, by the Administrator of the Chinese National Energy Administration, HE Zhang Jianhua together with other 29 Energy Ministers around the world including Tonga’s Energy Minister, Hon. Poasi M. Tei.
Coined by President Xi Jinping last year, BREP is an international energy cooperation platform, built for participating countries to collectively tackle challenges facing global energy development by preserving the ecological system, addressing climate change, enhancing energy security and maintaining sustainable development.
BREP upholds the concept of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, and aims at attaining common development and prosperity in energy sector for participating countries through mutually beneficial cooperation.
President Xi stressed that energy cooperation has been a key field in jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative.
Tonga is one of the 29 global and growing membership of BREP, and the only representative from the Pacific.
Hon. Poasi M. Tei was among the six Energy Ministers that were invited to address the BREP inauguration ceremony. Minister Tei emphasized that BREP inauguration is timely since the world is focusing as a matter of priority, to increase in the use of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies to ensure human and world survival, continuity and sustainability.
He added that with the Cooperation Principles and Concrete Actions (COPCA) of the BREP, it will chart a way forward to ensuring a secure, reliable, affordable, accessible and sustainable energy services for all, for the communities and for the people.
Minister Tei thanked the Government of China for donating the 2.25 Megawatt wind power station in Tongatapu to generate more green and cheap electricity for local schools and households, as part of BREP and under the Belt and Road Initiatives. This wind power station will greatly contribute to Tonga’s ambitious 50 percent renewable energy generation target by 2020.
BREP was held as one of the thematic areas of the Second Belt and Road Forum on International Cooperation (BRF19) with the theme ‘Belt and Road Cooperation: Shaping a Brighter Shared Future’, which was held from 25 – 27 April 2019 in Beijing. BRF19 was the highest level of the international conference held by China under President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) launched in 2013 which targets to synergize development strategies of various countries and strengthen international cooperation for shared prosperity in Asia, Europe and Beyond.
Minister Tei was accompanied to this meeting by the CEO for Energy, Mr. Paula P. Ma’u.
- MEIDECC
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THANK YOU MIN. POASI TEI & CEO PAULA MA'U...The BREP Conference was analyzed by Chinese, UK, US, Australian scholars and economists during its activities on Chinese TV here in the U.S. Questions raised included Chinese real motivation for its generosity with what is called the "loan" or "indebtedness bait." Nanny states such as Tonga (and poor African nations) are easy targets for the Chinese "do good" offerings.
Now China's donation of a "2.25 Megawatt wind power station", for example, is to boost Tonga's ambitious plan to achieve 50% renewable energy in a year. Presently it is touted to have reached 12%, but my electric (increased from $200 - $400/month without additional output) and water bills ($100 - $600/month) have increased drastically instead of reduced. Why did the rest of the Pacific's Small States Nations decline to participate in this "free Chinese Buffett?" except Tonga?
Always looking for a free handout? And hoping to receive "free" clean and renewable energy?