China holds Global Mayors Dialogue 2026 for green cooperation

The 2026 Global Mayors Dialogue was held in Xishuangbanna, southwest China's Yunnan Province, from Tuesday to Thursday, bringing together government leaders, mayors, experts and media representatives from across the Lancang-Mekong region and around the world to discuss the theme "Rainforest and Homeland: Coexistence, Co-Building and Shared Prosperity."

The event welcomed distinguished guests from Cambodia, Myanmar, Pakistan, India, Laos, Nepal, Sri Lanka and many other countries, alongside representatives from Chinese central and local governments, international organizations, businesses and media.

In his keynote address, governor Dao Wen of Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture shared the prefecture's experience in balancing ecological conservation with economic development.  

He highlighted five key initiatives: rainforest protection, rainforest restoration, rainforest return, forest-city integration, and environmental governance. These efforts have helped raise the region's forest coverage to over 74%, protect more than 90% of nationally protected wildlife species, and promote cross-border biodiversity conservation with neighboring Laos.

Dao emphasized that harmony between humanity and nature lies at the heart of Xishuangbanna's development philosophy. Guided by the local wisdom that "where there are forests, there is water; where there is water, there are fields; where there are fields, there is food; and where there is food, there are people," the prefecture has integrated ecological protection into every aspect of urban planning, public services and community development.

During two panel discussions, mayors and city leaders from Myanmar, Laos, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Shanghai exchanged experiences on sustainable urban governance. Topics included biodiversity conservation, climate resilience, tourism development, heritage preservation, flood prevention, green infrastructure and community participation.  

Participants agreed that while cities face different geographical conditions and development challenges, they share common goals of protecting natural resources, improving people's livelihoods and promoting inclusive growth.

Many international guests spoke highly of Xishuangbanna's achievements after visiting rainforest conservation areas, ecological tea gardens, cultural tourism villages and public service facilities. They praised the prefecture's successful integration of environmental protection, cultural preservation and economic development, describing it as a valuable model for sustainable urban governance.

The dialogue also addressed pressing global challenges such as extreme heat, climate change and ecological conservation. City representatives shared practical measures including expanding urban green spaces, promoting renewable energy, improving disaster preparedness and encouraging public participation in environmental protection.

A major outcome of the event was the official launch of the Xishuangbanna Initiative, which outlines a shared vision for strengthening international cooperation in ecological conservation, green industries, people's well-being and sustainable development.

The event concluded with the signing of two letters of intent establishing new friendship-city partnerships between counties in Xishuangbanna and districts in Laos, marking another step toward deeper cross-border cooperation under the spirit of the Lancang-Mekong partnership.

Participants agreed that sustainable cities can only be built through cooperation, mutual learning and shared responsibility and expressed their commitment to working together toward a greener, more resilient and more prosperous future.