China-Central Asia Cooperation Goes Green

On Oct. 26, the 11th China-Central Asia Cooperation Forum on Green Development of Industries was held in Yinchuan City. By Feng Kaihua, Xinhua News Agency

During the 11th China-Central Asia Cooperation Forum held from October 25 to 28 in Yinchuan, Ningxia, the theme of "Promoting Green Development and Building a Shared Home" became a hot topic of discussion among the participants.

In the opening ceremony, Kyrgyzstan's Deputy Prime Minister Edil Baisalov noted that China is actively adopting advanced environmental protection technologies and playing a leading role in the promotion of clean energy and sustainability. The cooperation between the two countries in this field has brought new opportunities for improving economic efficiency and enhancing environmental conditions

“We also plan to continue actively engaging in mutually beneficial cooperation with China, implementing projects in the renewable energy sector, and inviting Chinese companies to jointly carry out projects in Kyrgyzstan,” said Baisalov.

Gulnar Shaimergenova, director of the Kazakhstan Center for China Studies, stated at the subforum that China is investing in the construction of solar and wind power plants in several countries in Central Asia, which has opened new prospects for the development of green energy in the region.

China has maintained the world's largest installed capacity in hydropower, wind power, and photovoltaic power, as well as ongoing nuclear power projects for several consecutive years, with renewable energy accounting for over 50% of the total installed capacity for electricity generation.

In Kazakhstan, new energy projects such as the Zhanatas Wind Power Plant, Turgusun Hydropower Plant, and Almaty Photovoltaic Power Plant, built with the participation of Chinese companies, are effectively supporting the local transition to a low-carbon economy. China National Petroleum Corporation's Amu Darya Natural Gas Project in Turkmenistan has achieved an annual production capacity of over ten million tons of oil and gas equivalent, with a gas supply capability of ten billion cubic meters per year. In Kyrgyzstan, the photovoltaic power projects jointly implemented by China and Kyrgyzstan are also thriving.

On October 27, the 11th China-Central Asia Cooperation Forum held a signing ceremony for projects in agriculture, new energy vehicles, infrastructure, and more. Photo by Feng Kaihua, Xinhua News Agency.

China and Central Asia have broad prospects for cooperation in the field of new energy vehicles. Chinese new energy vehicle companies have established a presence in both Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. “The new energy vehicles exported by China to Central Asian countries are becoming increasingly popular, and many young people in these countries see driving new energy vehicles as a fashion statement,” said Wu Yingqin, executive director of the  China-Central Asian cooperation mechanism , in an interview.

Wu also pointed out that China’s experience in environmental protection, desertification control, saline-alkali land management, and water-saving irrigation has attracted the interest of Central Asian countries.

Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to China, Shakhrat Nuryshev, noted in his opening speech that Kazakhstan intends to learn from China’s advanced technologies and experiences in water conservation, greening, and desertification prevention and control, and to develop a comprehensive water policy to address the risks of freshwater scarcity.

Iusupov Rashid, director and professor at the Belt and Road Research Center of Kyrgyzstan University, stated in an interview that China’s advanced experience in agriculture is highly valuable for reference, such as the widely applied water-saving irrigation technology in the relatively arid Ningxia, which can effectively address the issue of freshwater scarcity in Central Asian countries.

“The green development needs of China and the five Central Asian countries are similar, with comparable concepts and complementary advantages, creating significant potential for cooperation,” said Wu Yingqin. He expressed that the China-Central Asia Mechanism Secretariat is willing to actively promote cooperation in areas such as green investment, green energy, green transportation, green agriculture, green finance, and green development standards, facilitating the transition of cooperation between China and Central Asia towards a greener path.

Source：

https://www.yidaiyilu.gov.cn/p/0NCFMI0E.html

Translated by Chen Xiao