FIDIC has signed a ground-breaking memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the China International Contractors Association (CHINCA) to improve collaboration between international and Chinese businesses, facilitate skills and knowledge transfer and increase the understanding and use of FIDIC contracts.
The two-year MoU was signed following discussions between FIDIC and CHINCA, with both organisations agreeing on the need to improve collaboration and cooperation between businesses in China and internationally, improve achievement of FIDIC’s core values of quality, integrity and sustainability, improve the competence of Chinese contractors in the management and application of FIDIC contracts, to increase exchanges of engineering professionals and to upgrade the skills of individual professionals.
The MoU agrees a number of areas for collaboration, including: -
- Establishing a CHINCA-FIDIC resources sharing framework;
- Setting up an information exchange framework for publications, reports and market information;
- Joint working to support both organisations’ research activities;
- Encouraging Chinese contractors to use quality-based selection;
- Working together on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI);
- Sharing human resources knowledge and collaborating on training initiatives;
- Increasing exchange visits between the leaders of CHINCA and FIDIC.
Commenting on the signing of the MoU, FIDIC chief executive Dr Nelson Ogunshakin said: “This is a landmark moment for FIDIC and the construction and infrastructure industry in China. Both FIDIC and CHINCA represent businesses whose activities create a legacy that citizens experience for generations and the social and economic impacts of that work influence wellbeing, culture and societal structures for decades, so it is essential that we work together for the common good. I look forward to both organisations learning from each other and to a fruitful collaboration to ensure that we create better outcomes for our world and its citizens.”
CHINCA chairman Fang Qiuchen commented: “FIDIC contracts are one of the most popular templates used in international infrastructure projects. Chinese contractors are one of the largest application groups for FIDIC contracts and the MoU between FIDIC and CHINCA creates a communication bridge between Chinese contractors and international consultants. CHINCA also looks forward to strengthening cooperation with FIDIC’s newly established Beijing Office in the areas of training, standard contracts and in developing subcontract templates.”
FIDIC president Alain Bentéjac said: “FIDIC is delighted to be working in partnership with CHINCA to promote overseas project contracting. I look forward to both organisations working together in collaboration to benefit, not just companies working in the construction sector, but also infrastructure professionals in China and overseas. Promoting mutual understanding and increasing collaborative working is a key role of FIDIC on the global stage and I am sure that this MoU will lead to better links and mutual cooperation across the entire construction sector in China.”
