Beijing, November 6 (Xinhua) -- Batel, Chief Commercial Officer of global mining giant Rio Tinto, recently stated in an interview with reporters that the China International Import Expo has become an important platform for promoting global trade and cooperation, demonstrating China's determination to share open opportunities with the world and work together to build an open world economy. The CIIE is not only an important measure for China to fulfill its commitment to high-level opening-up, but also demonstrates the importance of cooperation between governments and enterprises of various countries to address challenges and explore new opportunities.
Batel stated that the CIIE not only has a profound positive impact on global business and trade, but also reshapes the industrial landscape through mutually beneficial cooperation, injecting innovative momentum into the high-quality development of various industries. As an old friend of the CIIE, Rio Tinto has engaged in productive dialogue with its partners through this platform, expanding broader cooperation prospects.
China is the world's second-largest economy and the largest consumer of commodities, playing a crucial role in global manufacturing and international trade. Batel stated that China is Rio Tinto's largest market and its importance in global operations continues to increase. By participating in the CIIE, Rio Tinto showcases its rich product portfolio and advanced carbon reduction technologies, seeking to establish long-term partnerships with Chinese partners.
Batel introduced that at this year's CIIE, Rio Tinto will provide a more innovative and interactive experience on the booth, highlighting the cooperation between Rio Tinto and Chinese companies to develop the Simandou iron mine project in Guinea, Africa. In this project, Rio Tinto has joined hands with multiple Chinese partners to build the infrastructure required for the export of high-grade iron ore. In his view, the extensive participation of Chinese enterprises in this project not only promotes investment cooperation, but also brings high-quality equipment and infrastructure construction expertise to the project, which will provide assistance for the modernization process of Guinea and surrounding areas.
Batel said that Rio Tinto operates in 35 countries around the world and understands the importance of economic globalization in optimizing resource allocation, improving production efficiency, and promoting technological innovation. He also recognizes that economic globalization is crucial for the success of multinational corporations. China continues to promote economic globalization, expand market access, optimize the business environment, and provide more cooperation opportunities for multinational companies such as Rio Tinto, helping the world economy recover.
Looking back at Rio Tinto's trade history with China, Batel stated that 51 years ago, Rio Tinto first exported iron ore to China, opening up a long-term cooperative relationship with China. In recent years, Rio Tinto has continued to expand its cooperation with Chinese partners in the process of China's economic transformation, jointly exploring carbon reduction solutions and promoting low-carbon transformation of the industrial chain.
He said that in 2022, Rio Tinto's China Technology and Innovation Center will be established, bringing China's leading research, technology, and innovation into Rio Tinto's global operations. Not long ago, Rio Tinto started a cooperation with China State Power Investment Corporation to carry out a pilot project for the application of pure electricity to battery mining card technology at the Oyu Tolgoi copper mine in Mongolia. The relevant technologies required for this project have been widely applied in mining operations in China before.
Looking ahead, Batel is full of confidence in China's economic growth prospects. He stated that China attaches great importance to innovation, low-carbon and digitalization, and the continuous urbanization process, as well as investment in high-tech and new energy industries, will drive new growth and lay a solid foundation for economic development.