BEIJING – China will establish cross-border “green economic belts”partnerships with Pakistan and the other countries that involved in theBelt and Road Initiative.
Three belts will be created using poplar trees, under a plan released bythe China Green Foundation at the Belt and Road International Forum onPublic Cooperation for Ecological Remediation, which was held in Wuwei,Gansu province.
It was announced that the belts’ initiative will start in Northwest Chinaand connect countries in Central and West Asia, such as Pakistan,Kazakhstan, Iran and Turkey. That is line concept of China-PakistanEconomic Corridor to promote healthy environment, better living of thepeople.
“Under the plan, a cooperative partnership will be established to encouragemore exchanges of experience in developing a green economy in differentcountries,” said Chen Shuxian, chairman of the foundation.
Poplar trees now cover about 648,000 hectares worldwide, according to thefoundation. Most of them are located in 17 countries involved in the BRI.
China holds 61 percent of the world’s total poplar tree forests, whichprovide important economic value to people. For example, the poplar forestcovering an area of 31,840 hectares in Hotan, Xinjiang Uygur autonomousregion, generates annual income of 672 million yuan ($98 million),according to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.
In Inner Mongolia’s Ejin Banner, residents developed a tourism industrythemed on poplar tree forests, which attracted more than 1.1 milliontourists from home and abroad in 2015 and which has generated 1.4 billionyuan annually.
“We want to encourage more countries to improve their ecosystems throughplanting poplar trees. And we welcome international enterprises, both inthe private and public sectors, to support the partnership throughdonations,” said Chen Lian, vice-chairwoman of the foundation. “In return,this cross-border cooperative will bring them more business opportunities.”
During the forum, the foundation also announced the launch of aninternational ecological restoration fund, drawn from donations worldwideto promote a green economy in countries involved in the BRI.
“Like many countries, China has been confronted with the negative impact ofa deteriorating environment. It has made remarkable achievements inecological remediation, including combating desertification and working torestore and expand forests,” said Liu Zhenmin, undersecretary-general foreconomic and social affairs of the United Nations.
He said the BRI focuses on a common development, with its goal of achievingwin-win cooperation in line with the 2030 Agenda.
Through the forum and the cooperative mechanism, he said, China can bettershare its experience with civic organizations and collaborate to advanceecological remediation in other countries.