ACEF Belt and Road Eco-Industry Cooperation Working Committee and Delegation Including Director Wei Yuansong of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Sri Lankan Academician Ajith Visit Shenzhen to Explo

To deepen international cooperation in the field of environmental protection along the Belt and Road countries and promote the exchange of green technologies and industrial alignment, the Belt and Road Eco-Industry Cooperation Working Committee of the All-China Environment Federation (hereinafter referred to as the “Belt and Road Committee”) recently organized a delegation including Director Wei Yuansong of the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Prof. Ajith Priyal de Alwis, Academician of the Sri Lanka Academy of Sciences. The delegation visited Shenzhen to focus on advanced technologies for small-scale waste incineration and water environment management, aiming to promote China-foreign cooperation in environmental science and technology and facilitate global sustainable development.

On June 25, the delegation visited the Belt and Road Environmental Technology Exchange and Transfer Center (Shenzhen). Both parties engaged in in-depth discussions on international transfer of environmental technologies and cooperation models. They also held a symposium with representatives of three green enterprises in Shenzhen to jointly explore collaboration in green technology.

At the symposium, Hao Mingtu, head of the Belt and Road Center, introduced the center’s development achievements and service system. Prof. Ajith Priyal de Alwis, PIFI scholar of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, senior professor in the Department of Chemical and Process Engineering at the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, and Chief Innovation Officer at the Sri Lanka National Innovation Agency, shared the status and technological needs of Sri Lanka’s green development. Wei Yuansong, CPPCC National Committee member, member of the Population, Resources, and Environment Committee, and director of the Water Pollution Control Laboratory of the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, presented the achievements of the 10-year China-Sri Lanka scientific cooperation project, highlighting the profound foundation and broad prospects of bilateral environmental cooperation.

During the technology demonstration session, Shenzhen Zhiren Environmental Technology, Jiangsu Jingyuan Environmental Protection, and Langkun Environmental Group showcased cutting-edge technologies in smart water management, industrial wastewater treatment, and solid waste recycling. Experts and enterprise representatives held in-depth discussions on technology adaptability and international cooperation models. All parties exchanged views on aligning green technology standards under the Belt and Road Initiative and optimizing cross-border technology transfer mechanisms, and explored future cooperation directions.

Shi Xiang, Deputy Director and Secretary-General of the Belt and Road Committee, stated that the committee shares the same mission as the Belt and Road Center: to support Chinese enterprises and green technologies in going global, overcoming obstacles such as standard barriers and information silos. He expressed hope for enhanced cooperation between both sides to break barriers, share resources, and complement each other’s strengths, thereby jointly painting a bright blueprint for green development. The Belt and Road Committee will continue to serve as a bridge to promote the internationalization of Chinese environmental technology standards and support high-quality overseas expansion of enterprises.

Addressing Waste Management Challenges: Exploring the Application of Small-Scale Incineration Technology

In response to the common challenge of urban and rural waste management in developing countries, the delegation visited Hexu Environmental Technology Co., Ltd. for exchanges focusing on frontier technologies such as gas-carbon complementary incineration. Chairman Li Wensheng, Deputy General Manager Cen Hai, and technical leaders of Hexu Environmental participated in the symposium.

During the meeting, Hexu Environmental highlighted its self-developed ‘Xuying Furnace Gas-Carbon Complementary Incineration Process,’ which is based on a mechanical reciprocating grate furnace and uses patented gas-carbon countercurrent combustion technology to achieve efficient waste incineration and energy recovery. The technical team elaborated on the core advantages of this process: efficient synergistic combustion, ultra-low emissions—particularly with dioxin levels below 0.1 ng TEQ/m3—and broad adaptability to various types of waste including household and industrial organic solid waste, contributing to circular economy development.

The delegation gained a thorough understanding of the theory and innovations of this technology and recognized its potential for pollution and carbon reduction. They suggested promoting customized applications tailored to the waste characteristics of different Belt and Road countries.

Shi Xiang pointed out that after 40 years of rapid development, China’s waste management sector has reached an internationally advanced level in technology, equipment, and operations—surpassing even EU standards in some areas. With rising global demand for environmental solutions, particularly in the industrial waste and small-to-medium-scale treatment markets, the Belt and Road Committee is actively screening small-scale technologies suitable for overseas promotion. He emphasized the committee’s role in facilitating China’s advanced environmental technologies to go global and serve global sustainable development goals. The committee also plans to organize a delegation to Sri Lanka to engage local governments, enterprises, and research institutions, refine pilot programs, and promote implementation.

“Protecting the Source of Life and Sharing Smart Water Management Experiences”

the delegation visited Pengkai Environmental Technology Co., Ltd. to learn about its low-carbon modular wastewater treatment system—the DIAB (Efficient Denitrogenation Process Integrated Airlift Loop Bioreactor). This system represents a new model for prefabricated, factory-style sewage treatment. Pengkai’s intelligent management platform, which enables refined operation of water systems, sparked strong interest among international delegates, who explored potential applications of the DIAB process under varying water quality conditions.

The delegation highly praised Pengkai’s innovations in smart water management and looked forward to future in-depth collaboration to jointly promote advancements in global water environment technologies.

This visit to Shenzhen not only deepened the environmental cooperation consensus between China and Sri Lanka—such as the establishment of joint science and education centers and collaborative research projects—but also provided Chinese environmental enterprises with a substantive platform for international engagement. Looking ahead, the Belt and Road Committee of the All-China Environment Federation will continue to work with domestic and international partners to drive innovation and industrial synergy in green technologies under the Belt and Road framework, contributing Chinese wisdom and solutions to global sustainable development.