11 Korean environmental firms meet 25 Chinese buyers; contracts, MOUs signed in sludge reduction and water quality sectors; Tianjin targeting green development model zone by 2035

The "2026 China Tianjin Environmental Industry Export Consultation," co-hosted by KOTRA and the Korea Environmental Industry Association, takes place over two days beginning Thursday in Tianjin, China. [KOTRA]
The "2026 China Tianjin Environmental Industry Export Consultation," co-hosted by KOTRA and the Korea Environmental Industry Association, takes place over two days beginning Thursday in Tianjin, China. [KOTRA]

An export consultation forum opened in Tianjin, a major heavy-industry hub in northern China, to help Korean environmental equipment companies break into the local market. The event was organized on the assessment that China's accelerating green transition across manufacturing and urban operations is driving growing demand for water treatment, low-carbon management and energy-saving equipment.

Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) and the Korea Environmental Industry Association jointly held the "2026 China Tianjin Environmental Industry Export Consultation," a two-day event that began Thursday in Tianjin.

The forum targeted green transition demand across seven industrial sectors in China — eco-friendly equipment and environmental protection, information technology, equipment manufacturing, new energy, automobiles, new materials and biotech. Eleven Korean environmental technology companies participated, while 25 Chinese buyers attended to discuss low-carbon management, energy reduction, and digital water treatment equipment and solutions.

Tianjin is one of northern China's most prominent industrial cities. It has been stepping up green transition policies in recent years to reduce the environmental burden accumulated through decades of industrialization. The city was designated in 2024 as a site for building a "national green development model zone," a program aimed at greening the entire city by 2035.

Investment in environmental infrastructure is also expanding. Tianjin's fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentration stood at 36.2 micrograms per cubic meter in 2024, roughly 30 percent above the Chinese national average. In response, the city announced plans to invest 52 billion yuan (approximately $7.2 billion) in large-scale upgrades to industrial and environmental infrastructure. The broader green transition — spanning technology, equipment, services and financial infrastructure — could open new market entry opportunities for companies with relevant equipment and operational solutions.

The forum also produced tangible early results. Two Korean companies — one specializing in sludge reduction and dewatering systems and another producing smart water quality meters — signed an agent contract and an MOU, respectively, with Chinese buyers. The outcomes reflect how Korean firms' technological reliability and operational track record in water quality management and waste treatment are aligning with local demand.

A representative of one of the Chinese companies that attended said the firm is preparing to bid on projects commissioned by Chinese state-owned enterprises and hopes to collaborate with Korean partners, whose products are recognized as competitive in terms of technical and operational stability.

A bilateral government and institutional meeting followed the export forum. The Korean side included the Ministry of Climate, Environment and Energy, the Korea-China Environmental Cooperation Center and the Korea Institute of Environmental Technology, while the Chinese side was represented by the Tianjin Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau and the city's environmental protection association. Participants discussed ways to expand cooperation and exchanges in the environmental industry.

KOTRA views China's green transition as going beyond regulatory compliance to drive industrial restructuring and equipment replacement demand. The agency sees particular potential in heavy-industry-concentrated regions like Tianjin, where demand for water treatment, air quality improvement, carbon reduction and energy efficiency equipment is likely to grow steadily.

"The Chinese government is pursuing green transition as a core priority across industry and urban operations, and the opportunities for related companies are growing," said Hwang Jae-won, head of KOTRA's China regional headquarters. "We will do our utmost to identify business opportunities and connect our companies with the right partners so they can seize these new openings."


kwater@heraldcorp.com