Conference held to promote high-quality green development

The 5th Beautiful China Central Ridge Belt Sustainable Development Conference opened on Thursday in Lintong district, Xi'an city, Shaanxi province in Northwest China.

Hundreds of academicians, experts, government and industry representatives from all over the country attended the conference, themed "Coordinated Development of the Beautiful China Central Ridge Belt and the Silk Road Economic Belt". They gathered to explore regional development strategies in the era of ecological civilization and collaborate on a blueprint for high-quality green growth.

Academician Guo Huadong, director of the UNESCO International Centre on Space Technologies for Natural and Cultural Heritage (HIST) and director of the International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals, reviewed the ten-year exploration process of the "Beautiful China Central Ridge Belt" strategy in his opening speech. From the launch of the "Hu Huanyong Line" research in 2015 to the deep cultivation along the four conferences, and then to the current focus on "Silk Road Collaboration", the Central Ridge Belt has evolved from an academic concept into a regional cooperation platform.

"This ecological, economic, and cultural corridor, connecting the north, south, east and west, will play a key role in addressing the development imbalance between the regions in the new era and drive shared prosperity through coordinated east-west cooperation", said Guo.

"Currently, China is at a critical juncture in promoting high-quality development, making it urgent and significant to advance regional coordination and reduce the gap between the east and west," said Zhou Dejin, a senior staff member from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in his video address at the opening ceremony, where he analyzed the importance of building the Central Ridge Belt.

"The construction of the Central Ridge Belt is not just about geographical space, but also about the comprehensive and coordinated revitalization of the economy, society, ecology, and culture," Zhou added.

In his speech, Xu Qiang, president of Chengdu University of Technology, emphasized the university's active involvement in the Central Ridge Belt's theoretical research and practical exploration through the Digital Hu Huanyong Line Research Institute. He noted that moving forward, the university will leverage its academic strengths, strengthen industry-university collaboration with Lintong and neighboring counties, and help turn research into regional development momentum.

Subsequently, Huang Huan, a professor at the Digital Hu Huanyong Line Research Institute and executive deputy director of the Academic Journal Center at Chengdu University of Technology, released the Blue Book on High-Quality Development of the Beautiful China Central Ridge Belt.

The Blue Book is the first scientific evaluation of the Beautiful China Central Ridge Belt, developed by the institute’s research team using digital technology and "AI Plus" initiative after three years of work. It outlines three key strategies: ecological co-construction, cultural tourism promotion, and digital empowerment.

During the investment promotion session, representatives from Aihui district (Heihe, Heilongjiang), Tengchong (Yunnan), Changshou district (Chongqing), and Lintong district (Xi'an, Shaanxi) highlighted their investment opportunities and regional strengths. They shared insights on ecological protection, cultural tourism integration, and urban-rural coordination, offering valuable lessons for regional cooperation and development along the Central Ridge Belt and its surrounding areas.

The two-day conference focuses on six key themes, including heritage protection, urban-rural integration, cultural and tourism industry development, new quality productive forces, ecological security, and the path to creating a world-class tourism destination in Lintong.

The event aims to provide fresh ideas and strategies for the development of the Beautiful China Central Ridge Belt and drive the high-quality growth of ecology and economy.