Digging deep, working together

Editor's note: The 2026 China Mining Conference and Exhibition opens in Tianjin on Thursday and will run until Saturday. Over the three days, 28 forums will be held and the exhibition area will cover 65,000 square meters. On this page, we've invited Liu Guohong, Party secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources of China, which hosts the event, and six senior officials of foreign countries to share their thoughts on the prospects of the industry.

Currently, a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation is evolving at an accelerating pace. The energy transition and the rise of emerging industries have presented significant opportunities for the development of the global mining industry. Meanwhile, intertwined factors such as geopolitical conflicts, trade barriers and climate change have also brought uncertainties to global mining development. How to balance development and security, exploitation and protection, as well as the present and the long term has become a common issue for the international community. Under the theme of "win-win cooperation, green and intelligent development", the 2026 China Mining Conference and Exhibition aims to conform to the prevailing trends and respond to the expectations of all parties.

Cooperation is the only way to achieve prosperity in the mining industry. As a Chinese proverb goes: "It is difficult to lift heavy objects alone, but easy to move forward when walking together." Mineral resources are unevenly distributed across the world, making it inevitable for industrial and supply chains to be interconnected across borders and mutually dependent. History has repeatedly proven that isolation and fragmentation lead nowhere, while openness and cooperation are the right path forward. True resource security should be built upon diversified supply and mutual trust. China has always adhered to multilateralism, promoted the building of an open world economy, continuously relaxed market access for foreign investment, and optimized the business environment. We have actively participated in global mining governance and worked to maintain the stability of the global mining market. Looking ahead, we are willing to deepen cooperation with all parties in areas such as exploration and mining, technology and equipment, standards and regulations, and talent training. We will also facilitate infrastructure development, boost economic growth and create more jobs, ensuring that the dividends of cooperation benefit all parties fairly, and jointly safeguarding the security and stability of global industrial and supply chains.

Green is the defining feature of the mining industry's transformation. Humanity and nature form a community of life. China actively practices the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets". We are committed to a path that coordinates mineral development with ecological protection, comprehensively advancing green exploration, improving green mining standards, promoting resource-saving and intensive technologies, implementing ecological restoration of mining areas, and vigorously constructing green mines. Furthermore, the green transformation of the mining industry has been enshrined in the newly revised Mineral Resources Law. We are ready to share our experience in green mine construction with countries around the world, deepen cooperation in green mine standards, technologies and management, jointly promote the low-carbon transition of the global mining sector, better protect the ecological environment, actively respond to and mitigate global climate change, and jointly safeguard the beautiful homeland of humanity.

Intelligent technology is a powerful engine driving the upgrading of the mining industry. As an old Chinese saying goes: "The wise observe the trends, but those who harness them win." As mineral exploration and development extend deeper into the Earth, technological progress has become the driving force for high-quality development in the mining industry. It is imperative to accelerate the integration of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing, the internet of things and 5G to reshape industrial forms and production methods.

China is actively promoting the construction of intelligent mines, with unmanned mining trucks, remote mining control systems and digital twin management platforms already being widely applied in mineral development. We look forward to deepening technological exchanges, recognizing mutual standards and collaborative innovation with countries around the world, ensuring that the fruits of digital intelligence benefit all nations equitably and jointly enhancing the modernization level of the global mining industry.

Since its inception in 1999, the China Mining Conference and Exhibition has been successfully held for 27 sessions. Integrating themed forums, exhibitions, project promotions, policy releases and signing ceremonies, the conference sees extensive participation from government departments, mining enterprises, financial institutions, research institutes and international organizations from various countries. It has become a high-end platform for exchanges and cooperation in the international mining community and an important window for observing global mining development trends. This year's conference merges the international mining ministers' forum with the opening ceremony. The number of participating countries, ministerial-level guests from abroad, and registered enterprises and representatives have all reached record highs, demonstrating the global mining sector's strong desire for multilateral dialogue and practical cooperation. China is willing to work with all countries to make good use of this platform, facilitate the reform and improvement of the global mining governance system, and jointly promote the steady and long-term development of the global mining industry.

A just cause enjoys abundant support; the world is a family. The world is striving to build a sustainable and bright future, and a prosperous mining industry will provide strong support for achieving this goal. In the face of both opportunities and challenges, only through open cooperation can we transform resource endowments into common wealth; only through green development can we achieve a win-win situation between industrial prosperity and ecological protection; and only through technological innovation can we expand new horizons for mining development. China is ready to join hands with all countries, gathering strength through cooperation, safeguarding the future with green initiatives, and driving development with intelligent technologies. Together, we will promote the building of a more equitable, open, inclusive, shared, stable and sustainable new global mining governance landscape, and jointly create a bright future for global mining development.

I wish this conference a complete success. I wish all distinguished guests smooth work and good health.

The author is the Party secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources. The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.