China-WBG Global Center launch focused on green transformation

The Ministry of Finance and the World Bank Group has jointly launched the China-WBG Global Center for Ecological Systems and Transitions recently in Beijing, aiming to strengthen global cooperation for a sustainable future.

At the center's launch ceremony held on Sunday, Minister of Finance Lan Fo'an and World Bank President Ajay Banga signed a memorandum of understanding for the center, along with an agreement to replenish the China-World Bank Group Partnership Facility. Over 100 representatives from more than 20 embassies and international organizations in China, as well as domestic government departments and research institutions, attended the event.

Lan said that over the past 40 years of reform and opening-up, China and WBG have established a mutually beneficial partnership, with knowledge cooperation as a central pillar.

Focusing on ecological conservation, the center responds to the evolving global challenges in the current era, and marks a significant step forward in China-WBG cooperation. The center is expected to play a pivotal role in WBG's efforts to create a global knowledge hub, fostering mutual learning, sharing development experiences, and providing innovative solutions for ecological conservation worldwide, Lan said. 

Lan further emphasized that China has made notable strides in advancing three major campaigns to protect blue skies, clear waters and clean soil. Over the past decade, the central government has invested nearly 6 trillion yuan to fully support the construction of a beautiful China.

China has shouldered its responsibilities as a major country, evolving from a participant to one of the front-runners in environmental governance. Through the center, China seeks to share its ecological conservation experience and collaborate with other nations on a shared journey toward green transformation, he said. 

Leng Zichun contributed to this story.