In 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the major initiative of “the Belt and Road”, which granted the ancient Silk Road a new times connotation. Otherwise, as an important part of “the Belt and Road” construction,
in the past five years, cooperation in mineral resources have realized the optimization of resources and shared opportunities of countries along the “Belt and Road”. Countries have turned development advantages of their own into that of the whole, which has not only increased their own development dividends but improved weak links in development of each country.
On October 20th, the last day of CHINA MINING Conference and Exhibition 2018, representatives from the mineral resources management areas, mining enterprises and mining research units along the “Belt and Road” conducted a heated discussion on how to make “the Belt and Road ”mineral resources cooperation deeper and firmer at Mining Cooperation Forum on “the Belt and Road ”.
The strong synergy generated by cohesive development
"Currently, the world’s economy and mineral resources situation are undergoing complex and profound changes, which desire solutions to maintain sustainable development of global resources. There is no doubt that the implementation and deepening of ‘the Belt and Road’ initiative will incur new developing opportunities to the global mining industry. “Zhang Yaxiong, chief economist of the International Cooperation Center of the National Development and Reform Commission said. He also expressed that economic transformation and upgrading could only be achieved through cooperation and distribution of resources on a global scale from the perspective of economic theory.
The countries along the “Belt and Road” boasting rich mineral resources were the main supply base for mineral raw materials in the world. They played a vital role in economic and social development.
According to Samim Khair Mohammad, Bureau Director, Ministry of Mining and Oil of Afghanistan, among the more than 1,400 mineral deposits in Afghanistan, there were 3.622 billion barrels of hidden oil, 2.8 billion barrels of oil equivalent of potential natural gas in accordance with estimation, 70 million tons of copper, billions of tons of iron resources, and a huge storage of high-quality gemstone . “Afghanistan promotes the development of the mining industry through a range of comprehensive mineral resources policies such as the national coal policy and the hydrocarbon policy. Therefore, we especially hope to introduce and absorb China's advanced experience and technology,”
Purevsuren Sarangerel, a geologist at the Mongolian Ministry of Mines and Heavy Industry also uttered: “In Mongolia, exports of mineral resources accounted for 68% of total exports in 2017, and its contribution rate to GDP has reached 18%. The development of mining is imperative for Mongolia. Hence, Mongolia has undertaken various types of geological exploration, obtained basic data, formulated a long-term development plan and vigorously carried out infrastructure construction of mining in recently years to promote the sustainable development of mineral industry with prolonged stability. We look forward to more exchanges and cooperation with China in the future."
“The Belt and Road ” initiative created numerous opportunities for geosciences and mining cooperation. At the meeting, representatives from the mineral resources departments of Serbia, Thailand, Eritrea and other countries also introduced the resource occurrence and geological exploration of their own countries and expressed their strong desires for cooperation. This fully manifested that it was the common vision of countries along “the Belt and Road” that the exploration and development of mineral resources to be expanded and the transformation of advantages from resource to economy realized.
The flourish of multi-project cooperation
In the five years” the Belt and Road” initiative being proposed, key projects and demonstration engineering in the field of mineral resources emerged and thrived. Statistics showed that, the China Geological Survey and its affiliate Ministry of Natural Resources China signed almost 400,000 memorandums of understanding, project cooperation agreements and letters of intent in the field of geosciences and carried out almost 50 cooperative projects with 11 countries including Russia, Kazakhstan along the “Belt and Road” in total.
Geosciences Research Center of the China-Shanghai Cooperation Organization established at the “Silk Road Economic Belt” National Geosciences Cooperation Seminar of CHINA MINING Conference and Exhibition 2014 and based on the Xi'an Geological Survey Center of the China Geological Survey, was the professional institution carrying out geoscientific cooperation with SCO and the forerunner of “the Belt and Road” initiative in the field of geosciences, Li Wenyuan, director of the Center, said that in the past few years, the center has organized research on metallogenic regularity cooperative mapping. It has jointly compiled cross-border map of geological ore-forming rules the of geology and mineral resources in metallogenic belts such as Altai and Junggar-Balkash; carried out comparative studies including that of structure, material composition and mineralization of the cross-border Tianshan metallogenic belt and orogenic belt in China, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, and of the horizon correlation of manganese-bearing rock series in Kunlun-Pamir metallogenic belt in the west Tajikistan of China. At the same time, China steadily advanced the national-scale low-density geochemical survey (1:1 ,000,000) and analyzed 69 elements successfully, effectively supporting the implementation of the “Chemical Earth” international science plan and the global geochemical reference net. With breakthroughs in geosciences researches, the Xi'an Geological Survey Center of the China Geological Survey received the “Geological Prospecting Outstanding Contribution Award” issued by the Tajikistan Geological Bureau and the “Pakistan Geochemical Mapping Award for Outstanding Contribution ” issued by the Pakistan Geological Survey .
On September 9, 2016, the former Ministry of Land and Resources and the Ministry of Mines and Energy of Cambodia signed a Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation to jointly implement geological hydrographic mapping with scale of 1:1,200,000 and groundwater monitoring of the Mekong River. At the forum, when referred to this cooperative project with China, Lim Pagna, director of the Ministry of Mines and Energy of Cambodia, said that all countries should work together to make our only earth a better planet.
“‘The Belt and Road’ has provided us with a new platform!” he added.
The expansion of openness and inclusiveness
Looking back on the 40 years of reform and opening up, China has developed from being a part to a impulse of globalization and its economy has changed from "bring in" to the healthy balance of "bring in" and "go globally". With the deepening of “the Belt and Road” construction in the field of mineral resources, the scale and scope of China's foreign investment would continue to expand. Besides, China and countries along “the Belt and Road” were constantly exchanging their geological advantages and mining development experiences, and complementing each others with advantages.
Li Wenyuan introduced that in the next step, China would make the utmost of platforms such as CHINA MINING Conference and Exhibition, Euro-Asia Economic Forum and the International Geological Congress to promote the construction of a multi-faceted, bilateral and multi-level international geosciences cooperation plan; and major projects of earth system science in the fields of basic geology and energy resources around two tectonic domains of ancient Asia and Tethys along the Silk Road would be carried out to promote international exchanges and cooperation among SCO countries; China would also establish the Geosciences Information and Data Exchange Center and the International Joint Laboratory of the Silk Road Economic Belt , and build a comprehensive platform for international mineral transactions for the purpose of promoting green mining of “the Belt and Road”.
“The China-ASEAN Geosciences Cooperation Center will be officially inaugurated in November.” The good news was announced by Xie Yuan, deputy director of the Chengdu Geological Survey Center of the Geological Survey of Ministry of Natural Resources China. The Center would mainly take charge of constructions of geosciences database and cross-border mapping, joint geological surveys on important geological problems in major metallogenic belts, investigation and cooperation in aspects of geological environment and geological disasters, personnel training and extensive academic communication. He added: "We will work together to promote the regional research levels in Southeast Asia and South Asia on the basis of the principle of equality, mutual benefit and win-win cooperation, and to solve major issues in hydrogeological environment.”
Luan Zhengming, member of the All-China Lawyers Association Environmental Resources and Energy Law Committee, opined: “The Belt and Road” initiative involving more than 110 countries is an significant part of the world's new economic structure. Therefore, differences and exchanges in thinking and culture are cores of overseas investment, mergers and acquisitions. ”
“As a grand vision for openness and cooperation of countries along the routes, The 'One Belt, One Road' initiative can only be implemented once countries work together and follow the goal of mutual benefit and common security. I sincerely hope that through CHINA MINING, especially the Forum, the integration of energy resources of countries will be further propelled, and complementary advantages, risk and results sharing, and reciprocal development be realized." said Zhang Zhi, Inspector of the International Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Natural Resources China at the end of the Forum, who expressed the blessings of all participants. (Zhao Lei) (Translated by TLRHVC)
About CHINA MINING
Since first held in 1999, the scope and influence of CHINA MINING has grown rapidly year by year. As a global mining summit forum and exhibition, CHINA MINING Congress and Expo has become one of the world’s top mining events, and one of the world’s largest mining exploration, development and trading platforms, covering all aspects of the whole mining industry chain, including geological survey, exploration and development, mining rights trading, mining investment and financing, smelting and processing, mining techniques and equipment, mining services, etc. playing an active promotion role in creating exchange opportunities and enhancing mutual cooperation between domestic and foreign mining enterprises.
CHINA MINING Conference and Exhibition 2018 Was held at Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Center in Tianjin in October 18-20, 2018. We invite you to join the event and to celebrate the 20th anniversary of CHINA MINING with us. For more information about CHINA MINING 2018, please visit: www.chinaminingtj.org.
