The International Energy Agency鈥檚 (IEA) Executive Director, Fatih Birol, has called for a 鈥榥ew era鈥� of institutional ties between China and the IEA in which China fully participates in the Agency鈥檚 work.
鈥淎 key part of that vision is to develop a truly International Energy Agency,鈥� Birol said.
Birol said he was aiming to discuss with Chinese officials ways in which China could become a 鈥榝ull participant鈥� in the work of the IEA, and added, 鈥淭hat may take time, but now is the moment to start working on the process.鈥�
Birol鈥檚 announcement came during a visit to Beijing - his first official foreign trip since taking over as leader of the IEA, on 1 September. In remarks to the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), Birol said his visit to Beijing is a tangible demonstration of his vision to modernise the IEA.
鈥淐hina is a great nation with a leading role in many aspects of world energy,鈥� he said. 鈥淔or China鈥檚 sake and also for the sake of the rest of the world, it is vitally important that China be a full participant in the international energy debate.鈥�
Edited from press release by