BEIJING, Nov. 1 -- Norwegian companies are making moves on China in order to cash in on the country's energy demands and also make money helping it solve its environmental problems.

　　Last Thursday in Langesund, a town 170 kilometres from Oslo, a two-day conference addressing C hina's energy and environmental issues began.

　　Many Norwegian companies have shown much interest in securing partners and market opportunities in China so they can transfer technology and supply equipment here.

　　Norway gives millions of Norwegian krones (NOKs ) annually to China, government to government, with a focus on environmental protection.

　　But now there will be more commercial investment from the Scandinavian country, said senior officials from the Norwegian Government.

　　"With regard to the future, China is already becoming a middle income country, so it is likely that official development assistance (ODA) will decrease, while investment in research co-operation and commercial projects will grow," said Inger Johanne Wiese, special advisor at the International Department under the Norwegian Ministry of Environment.

　　Norway has reportedly given 20 million NOK (US$3.2 million) to China for ODA every year since 1995.

　　The 2005 figure is expected to be 14.5 million NOK (US$2.3 million), she said.

　　In order to facilitate Norwegian private companies' involvement with the Chinese market, Innovation Norway, a government-owned agency supporting Norwegian firms, plans to set up a Norwegian Energy and Environmental Consortium in China in February.

　　"The aim of the consortium is to successfully promote and develop Norwegian energy and environmental technology, adapted to the Chinese market," said a statement.

　　The planned consortium will target Norwegian companies, NGOs (non-governmental organizations) and research institutes involved in environmental improvement technology, energy solutions and efficiency enhancement, by identifying and facilitating partnership opportunities.

　　AnoxKaldnes AS, a Norway-based water treatment company, is in talks with Beijing and Sichuan Province. It already supplies water treatment technology for plants in Guangzhou, Nanjing and Jinan, the capital cities of China's Guangdong, Jiangsu and Shandong provinces, said Niu Xueyi, the company's chief representative for North China.

　　"China is our most important market for the next five to ten years," said Terje Andersen, vice-president of AnoxKaldnes Global.

　　Rune V. Engen, manager of Bamble Bruk AS, a Norwegian company involved in water supply and industrial investment, said he is in preliminary talks with some Chinese cities to supply bottled water.

　　Other companies involved with energy conservation, waste recycling and new energy technology, are also strengthening ties with China so they can get a niche in the country's domestic energy and environmental sectors.

　　China, the world's second largest energy consumer after the United States, is pushing the development of renewable energy options such as solar and wind power to cut its heavy reliance on coal and oil. It is also beefing up its energy conservation efforts as well as trying to improve the environment.

　　(Source: China Daily)