China, Thailand team up on energy

KUNMING , China, July 29 (UPI) -- China and Thailand have agreed to partner on renewable energy.

The two countries, both facing huge growth in energy demand, will work together to develop sustainable energy sources and address global climate change, Asian news agency SinoCast reported.

The agreement was made between government officials and research institutions when they met at a symposium in Kunming City in the southern Yunnan province.

The Mekong River drainage area, of which China and Thailand are both part, is particularly threatened by the effects of climate change, and developing clean energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions would benefit everyone, said Meng Shuguang, deputy director general of the Department of International Cooperation under China's Ministry of Science and Technology.

As the cost of the technology decreases, China is looking into more hydro, wind, solar and biomass energy sources. Thailand has said it will put more investment into its research-and-development centers.