Dutch water sector showcases sustainable solutions at Aquatech China

Grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony

On Wednesday 11 December, Aquatech China and InterClean China opened the event in grandeur. The Netherlands Pavilion was inaugurated with a ribbon cutting ceremony led by Her Excellency Marjo Crompvoets, Consul General of the Netherlands Consulate in Shanghai, alongside Mr Eric Spaans, Counsellor for Infrastructure and Water Management at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Beijing, Ms Sachi Claringbould, Deputy Consul General of the Netherlands Consulate in Shanghai, and Mr Daan Burghouts, Director of Aquatech Global. The increasing need for clean water combined with promoting environmental protection and the strong enforcement of new regulations creates huge opportunities for international companies specialised in water and wastewater technologies in China.

Panel session on innovating water solutions

The second day featured the panel session entitled ‘Innovating Water Solutions: Netherlands-China Together for a Sustainable Future.’ Hosted at the International Hub, this session brought together leading experts to exchange knowledge. The keynote speaker, Mr Eric Spaans, delivered an impactful address emphasising the shared challenges faced by China and the Netherlands, such as flood management, early warning systems, clean drinking water, and smart distribution networks.

The panel discussion highlighted the strides that both countries are making in addressing these issues. The dialogue underscored the mutual benefits of Netherlands-China collaboration, emphasising the importance of joint efforts in research and development (R&D). After the panel discussion, several meetings on potential collaboration took place. For instance, a very well-established company in China in the domain of activated carbon is now setting up a company in the Netherlands and is looking for cooperation and partnerships; a major water utility also indicated that it would be interested in meeting Dutch companies for investments; and, a cooperation delta water institute stressed its interest in cooperating with Dutch knowledge institutes. 

A joint effort for a shared future

The unified presence of Dutch exhibitors at the Netherlands Pavilion and panel discussion were made possible through the joint efforts of Aquatech, NWP, the Dutch Consulate General in Shanghai and Embassy in Beijing, and the various Netherlands Business Support Offices (NBSOs) in China, in particular NBSO Shenzhen, whose dedication and commitment ensured a great success.

The Netherlands Pavilion would not have been possible without the commitment of the participants: CPS China, Green Connection, Nedap, NWP, NX Filtration, Rowat Water Control, Technimex, and WaveSave (formerly known as SlamDam). If you would like to connect with Dutch experts at Aquatech China, contact NWP, onsite host of the Netherlands Pavilion.

Aquatech China will be back in 2025, from 5 to 7 November.