By Li Han, Tsinghua News Center

Mr. Haruhiko Kuroda, President of Asian Development Bank (ADB), visited Tsinghua on March 23 and delivered a speech at the Tsinghua Forum.

In a discussion with Mr. Kuroda, Tsinghua University President Gu Binglin, gave him a synopsis of Tsinghua's water security research, construction of a "green" university, and energy development and studies. Mr. Kuroda briefly introduced the efforts ADB has made in water resources and water safety. Reviewing the cooperative relationship which has been established, the two men expressed the hope that collaboration between ADB and Tsinghua could be expanded in the coming years. Tsinghua Vice President Chen Jining also attended the discussion.

In his speech, "Ensuring Water for All: PRC-ADB Water Security Cooperation", Mr. Kuroda noted that the water crisis is increasingly one of the greatest threats to sustainable development in Asia, which has more than half of the world's population but only a third of its water. Competing demand for water resources is increasing exponentially as urbanization, industrialization, and population rise on this developing continent. He talked about the future challenges and remarked that the philosophy of managing water resources must be transformed throughout Asia. He said that ADB is working with partners to improve this continent's responses to the water crisis, and they are preparing a new water operational framework that addresses the water, food, and energy nexus.

Mr. Haruhiko Kuroda was elected President by ADB's Board of Governors in November 2004 and was re-elected in November 2006 for a new five-year term. Before joining ADB, Mr. Kuroda was Special Advisor to the Cabinet of Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and a professor at the graduate school of economics at Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo.

 (Photo by Guo Haijun)