China and five Central Asian countries launched an action plan on Wednesday to promote cooperation on green technology in ecology, agriculture and biodiversity.

The Action Plan for Green Technology Development in Central Asia was kicked off at a high-level forum on green development held simultaneously with the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) in Beijing.

The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the National Development and Reform Commission and the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, together with their partners from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, announced the cooperative program.

They vowed to jointly address the region's massive challenges, such as climate change, ecological degradation and environmental crises, using their considerable experience and know-how in ecological governance, efficient water-saving agriculture and food security, sustainable use of water resources and biodiversity protection.

The action plan includes building a dialogue mechanism among national research institutions, an innovative tech center to drive eco-friendly growth in the Aral Sea region, and multiple demonstration areas for water security, water-saving irrigation, and planting in saline-alkali soil.

The collaborative priority will be given to the sustainable development of the water-food-energy ecosystem in Central Asia, the ecological restoration in the Aral Sea region and the sustainable uses of water, biological and land resources, according to the action plan.

"More efforts will be made in building joint labs and field stations and training talents for the Central Asian countries," said Zhang Yuanming, head of the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography under the CAS.

(Cover image: High-level forum on green development at the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing on October 18, 2023. /CMG)