China

Since we began our activities in China in 2004, we have financed several wastewater treatment and drinking water production projects, using energy-saving technologies providing advanced treatment and high-quality services, as well as a pilot project for a “sponge city” in a district of the city of Mianyang, in Sichuan province.

Flagship projects:

• The project to restore the wetlands of Wolong Lake in Kangping, in Liaoning province, was the first operation supported by AFD in the field of biodiversity restoration in China,
• The project to protect and develop biodiversity in Xianju National Park, in Zhejiang province, aims to assist the local authorities with the implementation of a project to restore and promote the exceptional natural and cultural heritage of Xianju. This project benefits from a strong partnership with the Ballons des Vosges Nature Park which aims to facilitate peer-to-peer exchanges on this innovative issue for China,
• The project for integrated ecosystem management in Fuding, in Fujian province, is the first project supported by AFD in the field of coastal and marine biodiversity in China.

The emergency situation facing biodiversity in China, a megadiverse country, calls for strong policy guidance. AFD Group contributes to the bilateral dialogue and institutional exchanges between France and China on biodiversity. The projects implemented by AFD provide concrete examples of the efforts made by France and China to conserve biodiversity. This commitment was reaffirmed with the publication of the Joint Statement on Strengthening Biodiversity and Ocean Cooperation, on the occasion of the State visit by Xi Jinping to France in May 2024.

AFD is today recognized as a legitimate and leading actor by the Chinese ministries and academic network for dialogue on this issue, both for its expertise on the subject and its capacity for mobilization.

The world’s largest emitter of CO2, China pledged under the Paris Climate Agreement to peak its CO2 emissions by 2030 and be carbon neutral by 2060. To support this transition, our action focuses on financing pilot projects in innovative segments, renewable energies and energy efficiency, as part of the process to decarbonize the country.

For example, AFD is supporting several municipalities in the district heating sector:

• In Zibo, in Shandong province, industrial waste heat is recovered to supply district heating. A second project is under implementation with the same municipality through which AFD is continuing to accompany its low-carbon energy path
• Construction of systems to recover heat from treated wastewater from two sewage treatment plants to supply district heating to two districts of Jinan, in Shandong province

AFD has also helped the city of Shaoyang (Hunan province) set up a food waste management and energy recovery system.

China is a leading international donor and is playing an increasingly important role in international development financing. The volume of its financing will be decisive for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) around the world.

The aim of the cooperation with Chinese development finance actors is to promote the highest international standards and practices at several levels: environmental and social, governance, procurement, and sustainable finance.