Visit of Indian Mining Delegation to China
A 13-member government-cum-business delegation led by Shri S. Vijay Kumar, Secretary (Mines) visited China from Nov 5 to 11, 2011 to participate in the CHINA MINING Congress & Expo at the Meijiang Convention Center in Tianjin as well as to visit a pelletization plant in Hebei province and an aluminum plant in Shanxi province.
2. Organized by China’s Ministry of Land & Resources and the Tianjin Municipal Government, the theme of the 13th Mining Congress was “Strengthening international cooperation, Accelerating geological exploration and Promoting Mine development”. The Mining Congress is one of the largest mineral exploration and mining trading platforms globally and covers the entire value chain, including geological survey, exploration development, mining rights trading, mining investment and financing, smelting and processing, technique and equipment, mining services, etc. The Congress, in the last few years has been playing a critical role in providing a platform for mining nations to enhance bilateral and multilateral cooperation across the entire spectrum of mining. This years’ Congress attracted more than 5,000 delegates from 60 countries and featured close to 600 booths.
3. On November 6, 2011, the Indian delegation led by Secy (Mines) and accompanied by Dr. S. Jaishankar, Indian Ambassador, Shri K. Nagaraj Naidu, Counsellor (T&C), and Shri Abhishek Shukla, Second Secretary (T&C) had a meeting with China’s Vice Minister for Land and Resources (MLR) Mr. Wang Min in Tianjin.
[Shri S. Vijay Kumar, Secy (Mines) and Dr. S. Jaishankar, Indian Ambassador during the bilateral meeting with Mr. Wang Min, Vice Minister, Ministry of Land & Resources]
4. Both sides discussed enhancing cooperation by undertaking joint studies on geological science projects, comparative study of the Himalayas including tectonic studies on the Indian plate (particularly the Himalayan plate) as well as comparative study on the Euro-Asian plate; scientific and technological research in the areas of geo-chemical mapping, geo-physical exploration; and study of global climate change. The two sides also called for greater cooperation between the Geological Surveys of the two countries.
[Secy (Mines) with Mr. Wang Min, Vice Minister, Ministry of Land and Resources]
5. Another important component of the Congress was the CHINA MINING Equipment Show, which provided a specialized platform for mining equipment producers and buyers. This year Indian heavy equipment manufacturer – BEML participated in the China Mining Equipment Show by setting up the biggest equipment pavilion and displayed its world-class high-end earthmoving equipment like Dozers, Excavators, Dumpers, and Motor Graders. On 6 Nov 2011, Secy (Mines) and Dr. S. Jaishankar, Indian Ambassador to China inaugurated BEML’s pavilion. Later in the evening, BEML organized a “Press Meet” and a product “Launch Ceremony” in which Secy (Mines) and Ambassador Dr. S. Jaishankar also took part.
[Secy (Mines) and Ambassador at the BEML Launch ceremony in Tianjin on Nov 6, 2011]
[Starting 3rd from Left: Shri Durgesh, Board Member, BEML, Shri C S Gundewar, Controller General, Indian Bureau of Mines, Shri S. Vijay Kumar, Secy (Mines) and Dr. S. Jaishankar, Indian Ambassador at the unveiling of the BEML Pavilion in Tianjin]
[BEML pavilion at the China Mining Equipment Exhibition in Tianjin]
6. During the three-day Congress, government officials, industry leaders, and experts from both Chinese and foreign mining industries had in-depth exchanges on developments in the global mining industry. The Congress also saw a number of forums and workshops covering topics such as Mining and Capital Markets, Mining Regulations and Policies, Global Mining Exploration Analysis, Management of Mineral Resource Reserves and Geodata Utilization, China Outbound Mining Investment Strategy, Sustainable Mining, Mining in Asia and Oceania, and Mining Commodity Forum. On 8 Nov 2011, Shri S. K. Wadhawan, Deputy Director General, GSI gave a presentation on “Geology and Mineral Resources in India at the session on “Mining in Asia and Oceania”. Representatives of Geological Surveys from Russia, Papua New Guinea and Turkmenistan were the other speakers at this session.
[Shri S. K. Wadhawan, DDG, GSI making a presentation at the Mining Congress]
7. During its stay in China, the Indian delegation also visited the Chengde Xintong Shoucheng Mining Co. Ltd in Chengde, Hebei Province and the Shanxi Huaze Aluminium and Power Co. in Shanxi Province.