Online Seminar on Forest Bioeconomy Development and Cooperation between China and CEE Countries held successfully

On 21 April 2021, the Online Seminar on Forest Bioeconomy Development and Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries was held successfully. Around 70 participants from 10 CEE countries, China and observers attended the seminar virtually, with representatives from government agencies, research institutes, and enterprises.

Meeting room in Beijing: opening ceremony of the seminar

Following an overview of global forest bioeconomy development by Dr. Lauri Hetemaki, Assistant Director of European Forest Institute, several keynote speakers shared forest-based bioeconomy status and related supporting policies in their countries, including China, Slovenia, Greece and Slovakia. A panel discussion was facilitated to share diverse opinions from representatives from government agencies, research institutes and the private sector on how to promote cooperation between China and CEE countries in forest-based bioeconomy.

Several potential areas of cooperation between China and CEE countries in forest-based bioeconomy were recommended by panelists, such as forest resource cultivation mainly wood material sourcing, wood production and processing including both the traditional wood sector and the emerging engineered wood products, tree-borne oilseeds utilization, non-wood forest products, forest eco-tourism. To promote the cooperation, it is suggested to facilitate dialogue among enterprises between China and CEECs, as forest-based bioeconomy is mainly market driven. Due to differences in policies and market access among the CEE countries, according to the panelists, intermediary services are quite necessary to bridge the gap to facilitate investment cooperation between China and CEE countries.

The seminar will provide both policy and technical recommendations to the upcoming Third High-level Meeting of the China-CEEC Forestry Cooperation Coordination Mechanism, which will be held virtually on 2 June 2021. The seminar was co-sponsored by the Department of International Cooperation of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration of China, and the General Directorate of Forests and Forest Environment of the Hellenic Ministry of Environment and Energy, in collaboration with the Executive Coordinating Body of the China-CEEC Forestry Cooperation Coordination Mechanism, and organized by the Chinese Academy of Forestry.

Virtual group photo of participants

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