On March 24, the International Economic and Trade Cooperation Seminar on Green Mining and Minerals, hosted by the China Chamber of Commerce of Metals, Minerals & Chemicals Importers & Exporters (CCCMC), was held in Beijing. Approximately 200 representatives, including diplomatic envoys to China from various countries, delegates from international organizations, leading enterprises, and expert think tanks, gathered together to discuss global cooperation in green mineral development and energy transition. The seminar yielded fruitful results.

Li Chenggang, International Trade Representative and Vice Minister of the Ministry of Commerce, attended the seminar and delivered remarks. He stated that President Xi Jinping has repeatedly stated on international occasions such as the G20 Leaders' Summit and BRICS Leaders' Meeting that China stands ready to work with all parties to continuously deepen international cooperation in areas including green minerals. In November 2025, Premier Li Qiang announced at the G20 Johannesburg Summit that China and relevant parties had proposed the International Economic and Trade Cooperation Initiative on Green Mining and Minerals. To date, the Initiative has been joined or supported by many countries and international organizations, becoming another important global public good for global green development.

China International Trade Representative and Vice Minister of Commerce Li Chenggang

Li Chenggang noted that China has always been a firm practitioner and active promoter of green mineral development. China is willing to take the Initiative as a framework to deepen cooperation in the field of green minerals with all parties, and work together to promote the development of the global mineral supply chain towards a more resilient, greener, and more inclusive direction. All parties should adhere to open cooperation and strengthen exchanges; adhere to common development and upgrade the value chain; adhere to complementary advantages and form synergy; and firmly uphold multilateralism to foster an open, stable, fair, transparent, and predictable policy environment. China is supporting the green development of Global South countries with concrete actions. An important part of the Initiative is to promote technological innovation and exchanges, enhance the level of trade and investment liberalization and facilitation in green minerals, and boost the green and sustainable development of developing countries.

Jiang Hui, President of CCCMC, introduced the chamber's experience in participating in the formulation of international standards, promoting upstream and downstream coordination along the industrial chain, and carrying out enterprise capacity building and international exchanges and cooperation in the field of sustainable mining development. He noted that "green minerals" means, first, implementing green and low-carbon technologies across the entire industrial chain of development and production, with a focus on issues such as the ecological environment, labor rights, and community development; second, in terms of application, they serve the development of green and low-carbon industries such as clean energy, energy conservation, and environmental protection. Green minerals are not mutually exclusive with strategic minerals and critical minerals; moreover, they transcend geopolitical constraints, enabling all parties globally to find a focal point for cooperation under the common goal of green development.

President of CCCMC

 Jiang Hui

Jiang Hui stated that, as an international multilateral platform, the Initiative plans to establish three pillar institutions: a Steering Committee, an Expert Advisory Committee, and an Entrepreneurs Alliance. Relevant preparatory work has been launched, and governments of all countries, international organizations, and industry enterprises are invited to actively participate and offer suggestions. The meeting was chaired by Liu Zhonghui, Vice President of CCCMC.

The venue of the International Economic and Trade Cooperation Seminar on Green Mining and Minerals

Witnessed by the attending guests, Jiang Hui announced the official launch of the China Liaison Office and (Provisional) Secretariat of the International Economic and Trade Cooperation Initiative on Green Mining and Minerals.

Launch Ceremony of the China Liaison Office and (Provisional) Secretariat of the International Economic and Trade Cooperation Initiative on Green Mining and Minerals

At the meeting, the Sustainable Mining Code (Draft for Comments), updated and upgraded under the leadership of the CCCMC, was released, and a global public consultation was officially launched. As the first phased outcome released following the establishment of the (Provisional) Secretariat of the Initiative, the Sustainable Mining Code comprises three pillars and 24 core topics. It covers the full life cycle of mining projects from exploration, construction, and operation to post-closure, providing the global mining industry with a set of actionable management indicator frameworks that encompass multi-dimensional Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) aspects.

Vice president of CCCMC

Liu Zhonghui

During the keynote discussion session, Oliver Wonekha, Ugandan Ambassador to China; Khaled Nazmi, Egyptian Ambassador to China; Major General Arthur Kalaluka, Minister Counsellor of the Zambian Embassy in China; Chang-Hee Lee, Director of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Country Office for China and Mongolia; Alexander Wilson, Counsellor for Net Zero and Sustainable Development at the British Embassy in China; Fernando Gomez, Member of the Managing Board of the World Economic Forum; Li Ning, Deputy Representative of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Office in Beijing; Helen Prins, Chief Executive Officer of the International Tin Association; and Bady Balde, Deputy Executive Director of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), delivered speeches successively. They conducted in-depth exchanges on topics such as policy frameworks, international cooperation, green transition, labor protection, and supply chain transparency.

Ugandan Ambassador to China

 Oliver Wonekha

Ambassador of Egypt to China

Khaled Nazmy

 The subsequent roundtable dialogue was moderated by Tang Dingding, Member of the Green Trade and Investment Committee of the Chinese Society for Environmental Sciences (CSES) and Senior Advisor at the World Resources Institute (WRI). Wang Zuhuan, Advisor to the Board of Directors of Tsingshan Holding Group; Tang Yuanlong, Deputy General Manager of SUMEC International Technology Co., Ltd. (SINOMACH); Liu Yongquan, Deputy Director of the ESG Office of Zijin Mining Group; Chen Kejiang, Director of Solutions at LONGi Green Energy; Suzanne McLaren, Chair of the Board of the Global Battery Alliance (GBA); and Magali Baraja, Program Director of the Responsible Mica Initiative (RMI), jointly discussed Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and sustainable development.