"In cooperation with Wellcome Trust, a company from Britain, we made the low-carbon development program of Nanchang. And with the help of a U.S. institution, the Energy Foundation, Nanchang established a new-energy replacement scheme. In particular, we have made the most comprehensive cooperation with green technology companies in Austria," said Liu Hua.

The cooperation between Nanchang and green technology companies in Austria began in 2010. In that year, the Nanchang Municipal Government signed a cooperation memo with the Austrian Federal Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology, under which the Austrian side helps Nanchang build a low-carbon community. Within the community, advanced heat insulation and renewable-energy technologies such as solar energy and biomass energy are widely employed in the construction of buildings, which greatly helps reduce carbon emissions in people's daily life. In addition, natural cooling and ventilation concepts are also adopted in the community, trying to help residents get rid of overusing air-conditioners and heating installations.

Liu said that if the low-carbon community scheme proves successful, the model will be promoted across the whole city gradually.

Austria is a global leader in rock wool manufacturing and energy-saving technology. Under the cooperation framework, Austria's largest rock wool manufacturing base in the Far East has settled in Nanchang.

Liu said that the manufacturing project could also benefit the entire energy-efficient building industry in China.

"We would like to be inspired by international cooperation projects, especially in the field of energy-efficient building technology. The cooperation with Austrian businesses contributed a lot," said Liu.

Austrian partners have also agreed to help Nanchang build a world-class low-carbon hospital and develop an intelligent transportation system, as well as waste sorting and other low-carbon businesses.

In 2009, the first World Low-Carbon and Eco-economy Conference and Technical Exposition was held in Nanchang. Since then, Nanchang has been designated as the permanent site of this biennial world low-carbon development platform.

"Through international cooperation, Nanchang has attracted global advanced technologies, expertise, projects and capital to the city. It has also lifted Nanchang's profile in the world," said Zeng of the Publicity Department of the CPC Nanchang Municipal Committee. "Nanchang is willing to be an international platform for global low-carbon development."

Email us at: yulintao@bjreview.com

Nanchang Quick Facts

Nanchang is the capital of central China's Jiangxi Province, and has a history dating back more than 2,200 years

Area: 7,402 square km

Population: 4.85 million

Location: Bordering Poyang Lake in the southwest, and economically developed Guangdong and Fujian provinces in the south, and Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Hubei provinces in the north

Industries: Aircraft manufacturing, automobile manufacturing, metallurgy, electro-mechanics, textiles, chemical engineering, medicine, electronic information, biological engineering, new materials and others

Logistics: A convenient and bustling commercial trade hub and distribution center for consumables and industrial products in south China, and the only provincial capital located on the Jingjiu Railway linking Beijing and Hong Kong