On 29 July, 2022, the Seminar on Solid Waste and Wastewater Treatment in BRI Participating Countries: Technologies and Good Practices, hosted by the BRI International Green Development Coalition (BRIGC), was held online. Ms. Wang Hongliu, Director of General Affairs and Coordination Division (GACD) of the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), Mr. Li Yonghong, Deputy Director-General of the Foreign Environmental Cooperation Centre, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China (MEE), and Mr. Zhou Jun, Director of Division of Asian, African and Latin American Affairs of International Cooperation Department, MEE, attended the seminar and delivered opening remarks. Around 30 representatives of government agencies, embassies in China, scientific research institutions, environmental protection organisations and related enterprises from 7 countries including China, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, the Philippines, Viet Nam and Pakistan participated in the seminar.

Ms. Wang Hongliu said that it has become an international consensus to accelerate the green and low-carbon transformation and achieve green recovery in the post-pandemic era. This year is the first year for building the ASEAN-China comprehensive strategic partnership and the second consecutive ASEAN-China Year of Sustainable Development Cooperation. The two sides have actively increased policy communication and experience sharing, synergised plans for sustainable development, and have stepped up their efforts on the cooperation in the fields of green and low-carbon development, clean energy, climate change response and environmental protection, injecting new impetus into the sustainable development and common prosperity in the region and beyond. China is willing to work with ASEAN on implementing the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025, strengthening cooperation on ASEAN Smart Cities Network and ASEAN Initiative on Connecting the Connectivities to strike a good balance among economic growth, social progress and environmental protection.

During the seminar, the participants from China, Cambodia, Pakistan and other BRI participating countries shared their policies, good practices and challenges in solid waste and wastewater treatment, and exchanged views regarding future cooperation.