Our University Attends 2026 Henan Belt and Road Mining Industry Alliance Conference and Delivers Thematic Presentation

On March 13, the 2026 working conference of the Henan Belt and Road Mining Industry Alliance was held in Zhengzhou. The meeting, themed “Advancing Mining Cooperation Overseas,” reviewed the Alliance’s work in 2025, analyzed the current situation of international mining cooperation, and outlined key tasks for 2026.

The School of Resources and College of International Education (Belt and Road International Geoscience Education and Training Center) of China University of Geosciences (CUG) were invited. Representatives delivered a thematic presentation on international geosciences cooperation, providing support for Henan’s mining sector in expanding overseas through coordinated efforts.

Leaders from member units of the Henan Provincial Joint Conference on Overseas Mineral Resource Development, including the Provincial Foreign Affairs Office, the Development and Reform Commission, and the Department of Science and Technology, attended and offered guidance. Shi Yingjun, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Director of the Henan Provincial Geological Bureau, and Li Hongtao, Deputy Director of the Provincial Foreign Affairs Office, were present, along with more than 150 representatives from Alliance member units.

At the meeting, Guo Fusan, Chief Expert on Overseas Geological Work of the Henan Provincial Geological Bureau and Chairman of the Alliance, delivered the annual work report and released the Alliance’s “Top Ten News of 2025,” highlighting new progress in Henan’s international mining cooperation. Representatives from several member units shared their experiences. Experts from our university, together with specialists from the Mineral Resources Exploration Center of the Provincial Geological Bureau and the Henan Branch of China Development Bank, gave presentations on key topics including international geoscience cooperation, geological support, mining finance, and overseas risk management, offering professional insights for expanding into global mining markets.

Xu Feng, Professor and Secretary of the Party Branch of the College of International Education (Belt and Road International Geosciences Education and Training Center), delivered a presentation titled “Serving National Priorities and Advancing Cooperation with the Henan Belt and Road Mining Industry Alliance to Support Its Global Expansion.”

In his presentation, Xu Feng noted that geological work is the foundation and prerequisite for international mining cooperation. To deepen Belt and Road mining cooperation, it is essential to focus on geosciences technology and talent development, and to build an integrated international cooperation system combining industry, academia, and research. As a leading university in geosciences, CUG has leveraged its academic and research strengths, along with platforms such as the Belt and Road International Geoscience Education and Training Center, to gain extensive experience in international student education, joint training of geoscience talents, and overseas technical training. The university has trained a large number of geosciences professionals for Belt and Road partner countries.

Xu Feng added that China University of Geosciences will continue to give full play to its strengths in disciplines and talent cultivation, align closely with the needs of the Henan Belt and Road Mining Industry Alliance, and work with high-quality partners from industry and research institutions at home and abroad. Together, they will carry out geosciences education and training as well as technological research, build platforms for exchange and cooperation, and provide targeted technical support and international talent for Henan mining enterprises to go global.

The conference highlighted that, as Belt and Road cooperation continues to deepen, supportive policies for strategic mineral resources are being rolled out, and favorable measures such as zero-tariff treatment for certain African products are taking effect, creating a key window of opportunity for mining enterprises to expand overseas. The Alliance will focus on improving information platforms and coordination mechanisms to support more effective joint international expansion.

Our university’s participation and presentation at the conference represent an important effort to support national strategies on energy and resource security and to promote the high-quality development of the regional mining industry.

Taking this meeting as an opportunity, the university will further strengthen cooperation with the Henan Belt and Road Mining Industry Alliance and its member units, with a focus on international cooperation and talent development in geosciences. By advancing a model featuring government guidance, geological expertise, enterprise participation, and win-win cooperation, the university will contribute to safeguarding national energy and resource security and promoting high-quality cooperation in geoscience and mining under the Belt and Road Initiative.