A high profile seminar themed "Green China and Harmonious world" will be held from Oct 26 to 27 in Tianjin's Binhai New Area to promote environmental protection, the renewable and low carbon economy and clean energy industry in the northern China's coastal city, according to the Foreign Affairs Office of the Tianjin municipal government.

Scheduled participants include Kofi Annan, former UN　Secretary General, Ted Turner, founder of CNN, Nobel Economics Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, founder of the Grameen Bank, and high-ranking Chinese officials including Li Zhaoxing, director of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People's Congress, and nearly 100 business delegates.

"Energy saving and emission cutting and water cleaning in China will be the focus of the meeting,” Tian Guiming, director of Tianjin's Foreign Affairs Office, said.

Participants will discuss "the current situation and prospect of environmental protection, eco-industry, eco-city and eco-civilization" at the seminar, he added.

The seminar will also focus on seeking business opportunities while sticking to sustainable development, Tian said.

A business conference will also be held to solicit investment for the Sino-Singaporean Tianjin Eco-city.

Located in the Tianjin Binhai New Area (40 km from Tianjin city center), the 30-sq km Tianjin Eco-City is envisioned to create a harmonious and sustainable community that meets the needs of an urbanizing China and will be a modern township where 350,000 residents can live, work and play, according to its largest developer, Keppel.

The local government is also expecting to ink a framework agreement at the seminar with the United Nations Foundation (UNF). Local authorities are currently negotiating with the UNF to seek its support in developing a local green industry.

The UNF is a public charity created in 1998 with Ted Turner's historic $1 billion gift to support UN causes and activities, according to its website. The foundation advocates for the UN and is a platform for connecting people, ideas and resources to help the United Nations solve global problems.

By Guo Changdong