The 2018 China-ASEAN International Forum on Sustainable Development and Innovation Cooperation kicked off in Guilin on Nov 22, with more than 400 experts and business representatives from home and abroad in attendance.

More than 400 experts and business representatives from home and abroad attend the 2018 China-ASEAN International Forum on Sustainable Development and Innovation Cooperation. [Photo by Tang Kan/For en.gxzf.gov.cn]

Guilin has long been renowned for its natural scenery, which is hailed as the best among all under heaven. The city sticks to a green development path, which can be promoted in other Midwest multi-ethnic areas with venerable ecology, said Zhao Yueqin, Party secretary of Guilin.

Zhao Yueqin, Party secretary of Guilin, delivers a keynote speech at the forum. [Photo by Tang Kan/For en.gxzf.gov.cn]

The forum intends to promote resource sharing between Guilin and the wider world, while contributing Chinese wisdom to the formation of a worldwide cooperation mechanism on sustainable development.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Guilin back in April to build the city into a National Sustainable Development Innovative Demonstration Zone, with its successful experience to be drawn upon by developing countries, said Wan Yang, an official from the UNDP’s representative office in China.

Guilin government went on to sign a framework cooperation agreement with the China-ASEAN Environmental Protection Center at the forum to propel the construction of the demonstration zone. Seven projects worth 59.3 billion yuan ($8.5 billion) were clinched.

Additionally, the city hired 26 domestically and internationally renowned experts for the newly launched National Sustainable Development Innovative Demonstration Zone Think Tank. Four of them are academicians from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering.

Twenty-six domestically and internationally renowned experts are hired for the newly launched National Sustainable Development Innovative Demonstration Zone Think Tank. [Photo by Tang Kan/For en.gxzf.gov.cn]

Co-organizers of the forum include the Administrative Center for China's Agenda 21, the China-ASEAN Technology Transfer Center, the Department of Science and Technology of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the Health Commission of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and Guilin municipal people's government.