This photo taken on April 29, 2026 shows a scene during the opening ceremony of the Green and Sustainable Development Forum of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province. Opened on Wednesday in Ningbo, the forum is co-hosted by the SCO Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation Commission, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, and the People's Government of Zhejiang Province. [Xinhua/Jiang Han]

NINGBO -- The Green and Sustainable Development Forum of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) opened Wednesday in Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang province.

Shen Yueyue, vice-chairperson of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and chairperson of the Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation Commission of the SCO, read out Chinese President Xi Jinping's congratulatory letter and delivered a keynote speech.

Noting that green and sustainable development is the common aspiration and a significant area of cooperation of the SCO countries, Shen urged all relevant parties to implement the Global Governance Initiative and build a consensus on green and sustainable development.

Efforts should be made to accelerate sci-tech innovation to unleash the endogenous driving force for green development, strengthen industrial alignment and consolidate the foundation for green industry cooperation, and safeguard the ecological bottom line and jointly build a regional ecological security barrier, Shen said.

Shen also called on the SCO countries to deepen people-to-people and cultural exchanges to pool efforts for green and sustainable development.

This photo taken on April 29, 2026 shows a scene during the opening ceremony of the Green and Sustainable Development Forum of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province. Opened on Wednesday in Ningbo, the forum is co-hosted by the SCO Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation Commission, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, and the People's Government of Zhejiang Province. [Xinhua/Jiang Han]

People visit an exhibition during the Green and Sustainable Development Forum of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province on April 29, 2026. Opened on Wednesday in Ningbo, the forum is co-hosted by the SCO Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation Commission, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, and the People's Government of Zhejiang Province. [Xinhua/Jiang Han]

People visit an exhibition during the Green and Sustainable Development Forum of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province on April 29, 2026. Opened on Wednesday in Ningbo, the forum is co-hosted by the SCO Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation Commission, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, and the People's Government of Zhejiang Province. [Xinhua/Jiang Han]

A visitor records a video at an exhibition during the Green and Sustainable Development Forum of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province on April 29, 2026. Opened on Wednesday in Ningbo, the forum is co-hosted by the SCO Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation Commission, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, and the People's Government of Zhejiang Province. [Xinhua/Jiang Han]