Yangtze-Rhine-Danube regional dialogue bolsters China-Europe ties

Scholars and officials from China and Europe gathered on Nov 21 for the Yangtze-Rhine-Danube Regional Dialogue, aiming to further regional cooperation and friendship between China and Europe through discussions on protecting and developing the three great rivers and their basins. During the dialogue under the theme "Basins and Deltas: Communications and Collaborations," participants from China, Germany, the Netherlands, Romania, Austria, Hungary and many more countries voiced optimism that the enhanced mutual understanding and identified cooperation opportunities would contribute to a more prosperous future for the Yangtze, Rhine and Danube basins. "The Yangtze, Rhine and Danube rivers play irreplaceable roles in biodiversity conservation, cultural heritage, economic development and maintaining ecological functions, despite their different geographical environments and cultural backgrounds," said He Qing, director of the State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research at East China Normal University. Hao Zhongwei, director-general of the Department of European and Asian Affairs at the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, emphasized the profound influence the three rivers have had on human civilization and cultural exchanges between China and Europe. Chen Jing, president of the Shanghai People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, said the dialogue widely explored cooperation mechanisms in areas like cultural exchange and sustainable development along the three river basins, promoting win-win outcomes and China-Europe friendship.