China speeds up green manufacturing development

Yang Yuanqing (L), GMAC board chairman and Lenovo chairman and CEO, unveils the red ribbon at the inauguration ceremony of the Green Manufacturing Association of China in Beijing, July 22, 2017. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

China is speeding up green manufacturing development by inaugurating the Green Manufacturing Association of China (GMAC) in Beijing on Saturday.

"Green manufacturing is no doubt a new trend and an essential part of the Made in China 2025 initiative. It is not only a company's social responsibility but also can become its core competency and help improve efficiency. Only green manufacturing can ensure social wealth while protecting the environment at the same time and make us a really strong manufacturing country," said Yang Yuanqing, GMAC board chairman and Lenovo chairman and CEO.

Green manufacturing is not merely energy conservation and emission reduction, and it doesn't only concern heavy industries and heavily polluting enterprises. It's a common concern of all industries such as steel, nonferrous metals, chemical engineering, building materials, papermaking and printing and dyeing. Each company shoulders responsibility to develop green manufacturing, Yang said.

Green manufacturing should run through products' full life cycle and contain diverse content such as green design, green production, green operation, green recycling, green energy application, green packaging, green marketing and green trade, Yang added.

Promoting green manufacturing is not only a social responsibility of a company but an inevitable choice for a company to improve its competitiveness and efficiency.

"Gree Electric Appliances, as the leader of China's appliance industry, has made great efforts in green design, especially high energy efficient products. The research and development of a special compressor, our core technology, has helped to improve the company's manufacturing energy efficiency and product energy efficiency. The establishment of GMAC today will further promote China's green manufacturing development and have a positive influence in the whole industry, the nation and society," said Zhang Mingsheng, manager of Technical Department at Gree Electric Appliances.

Green manufacturing refers to various fields and each industry is at a different level. The association aims to promote communication and cooperation of green manufacturing development between both traditional and new industries.

"Green manufacturing is a strategic choice for textile industry because no matter products or manufacturing process we must make sure they are green and environmentally friendly. To make sure the products are good for people's health and production process doesn't harm the ecosystem is our inevitable responsibility and we need cross-industry cooperation to integrate resources. The GMAC provides a good platform and we come to learn and look for opportunities," said Sun Huaibing, vice president of China National Textile and Apparel Council.

Green Manufacturing Association of China will also explore a new development mode by connecting green manufacturing and the internet, and establish a green manufacturing system and ecosystem for the country's green and sustainable development, said Xin Guobin, vice-minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and director of the steering committee of GMAC.