Shortage of water resources and protection of water environment are becoming another focal point of the society. Industry sources estimate that in the next five years, investment in the Chinese water sector will double to 40 billion yuan (US$4.93 billion).

Siemens Industrial Solutions and Services Group (I&S) China's General Manager Hans-Werner Linne revealed yesterday that Siemens had established a professional water technologies department and would increase investment in China's water supply and waste water treatment market.

With 1.5 billion euros sales revenue, Siemens has become one of the world's largest water and waste water treatment equipment suppliers. It has over 200,000 sets of water and waste water treatment equipment operating around the globe. In the near future, Siemens will increase investment in its joint venture Tianjin National Water Engineering & Equipment Co. Ltd. and strengthen cooperation with North China Municipal Engineering, Design & Research Institute. Siemens's sales revenue in China is expected to exceed 250 million US dollars by 2010, and water treatment solutions will become a new light spot in its business.

Shanghai water environment and technologies forum was opened on Aug. 24. The forum, with a theme to protect water environment and create a harmonious life together, was initiated by the State Environmental Protection Administration of China and co-organized by Ford Motor Company, which has held six annual Conservation and Environmental Grants programs in China successively and spent 1 million yuan each year on such programs.

(Chinanews.cn August 26, 2005)