Tianda Group and Ministry of Land and Resources of the PRC to step up collaborations in staff training in Australia

2010.04.14

Tianda Group and the Ministry of Land and Resources of the People's Republic of China ("MLR") sealed closer ties in training and demonstration at the signing ceremony in Beijing. Mr. Yun Xiaosu, Deputy Minister of Land and Resources, Mr. Zhang Junsai. Chinese ambassador to Australia, and Mr. Fang Wen Quan, Chairman of Tianda Group attended the ceremony.

When Dr. Li Keqiang, Vice Premier of China's State Council visited Australia in November in 2009, Mr. Fang expressed his enthusiasm in promoting exchanges and cooperation between China and Australia, and the standard in managing land and resources. Tianda Group would be pleased to pledge RMB 50 million to grant scholarships to the senior management of MLR to study and share Australia's expertise and technical know-how in effective management and protection of land and resources, sustainable development of mining projects and associated environmental and safety issues, Vice Premier Li showed prompt support for the idea and asked Mr. Zhang to be responsible for coordination.

Tianda Group and MLR reached consensus after rounds of discussion. In the next ten years, MLR will select 50 senior management and key technical staff to receive training in Australia in the management and protection of land and resources, sustainable development of mining projects and other environmental and safety issues, In addition, one PhD scholarship to the University of Sydney in exploitation and conservation of land and resources or environmental protection will be awarded each year. Tianda Group and MLR will also select experimental units jointly and conduct cooperation in demonstration projects to promote environmental management in mining. Tianda Group will be responsible for the costs of PhD Studentship, including university tuition fees, transportation, maintenance and living expenses and costs of technical and financial support for demonstration projects.

Both Tianda Group and MLR hoped that the collaboration will lead to a further and deeper understanding of Australia's expertise in land and resources management as well as environmental management in mining. It is believed that our nation can benefit from the sustainable development of land and resources by having a higher standard of land and resources management and a more competent management team.

During the signing ceremony, Mr. Fang emphasized that Tianda Group will work closely with MLR, under the support of the Chinese Embassy in Australia, to ensure smooth implementation of the projects so as to live up to Vice Premier Li's expectation and justify the trust he placed in the collaborations.