Chinese report by Liu Jing, CENEWS

SHENZHEN, Dec. 11-The 2016 International High-level Dialogue on Ecological and Environmental Cooperation under the Framework of the Belt and Road Initiative was held in Shenzhen Municipality between Dec. 11 and 12. Vice Minister Zhai Qing delivered remarks at the dialogue.

In his remarks, Zhai said that the Chinese Government has always highly valued the environmental protection effort, held onto the green development concept, vigorously promoted ecological progress, and made new strides. He said that environmental cooperation is an integral part of the “Belt and Road Initiative”, and that the green implementation of this initiative has brought new opportunity for the regional green development and the international cooperation on eco-environmental conservation. All players should seize this opportunity, deepen and expand environmental cooperation, practice the ecological civilization concept, establish a platform for cooperation on green development, enhance the communications and capacity building of staff, work together to discuss, establish and share the “Belt and Road Initiative”, and make greater contributions to the regional sustainable development.

The meeting had communications and discussions around three topics, which is, “enhancing policy exchanges”, “establishing cooperation platforms”, and “fulfilling the corporate environmental responsibilities”. The meeting held that the green “Belt and Road Initiative” echoes the efforts towards the realization of the UN 2030 agenda for sustainable development, so the eco-environmental protection should play a more important role in the green “Belt and Road Initiative”. Delegates of relevant environmental departments of the countries along the belts and roads said that the green “Belt and Road Initiative” reflects the aspirations of the peoples of the countries on the belts and roads, and is consistent with the international trends for green development and the realistic requirements of the world countries for stepping up environmental protection. Those countries are ready to, through closer environmental communications and cooperation, build the belts and roads with greenery, prosperity, and friendship, and advance the sustainable development of the areas along the belts and roads.

On the sidelines of the dialogue, Zhai Qing and Mayor of Shenzhen Xu Qin unveiled the plate for the Environmental Technology Exchange and Transfer Center under the Belt and Road Initiative. The center is established by MEP in collaboration with Shenzhen municipal government, and will be a high-end tangible platform for China to conduct international cooperation on environmental industries with the countries on the roads and belts, and advance the pragmatic cooperation under the green “belt and road initiative”.

In the meantime, the meeting issued the initiative to fulfill the corporate environment responsibilities and build the green “belt and road initiative”.

The theme was “strengthening eco-environmental protection and building the green belts and roads” and the dialogue was co-sponsored by MEP and Shenzhen municipal government, and jointly organized by China-ASEAN (SCO) Environmental Cooperation Center, Shenzhen Human Settlements and Environment Commission, and the people’s government of Longgang District, Shenzhen Municipality.

Over 200 participants attended the meeting, including the high-level representatives from 16 countries along the “Belt and Road Initiative” such as Cambodia, Iran, Laos, Mongolia, and Russia, delegates of relevant international organizations and agencies, and representatives of the environmental officials, specialists, and businesses of relevant provinces and autonomous regions.