BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 29. An Uzbek delegation led by Presidential Adviser on Environmental Issues and Chairman of the National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change Aziz Abdukhakimov took part in the inaugural meeting of the China-Central Asia Dialogue Mechanism for Heads of State Scientific Research Institutions, held in Urumqi, China.
This was reflected in the statement published by the National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change of Uzbekistan.
The event, hosted by the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, brought together representatives from China and the five Central Asian countries to strengthen scientific cooperation on environmental protection, climate change and sustainable development.
Opening the meeting, Chinese Academy of Sciences Vice President He Huping and Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography Director Zhang Yuanming said the new dialogue mechanism was established to implement agreements reached by regional leaders at the Second China-Central Asia Summit held in Astana in June 2025.
The participants discussed expanding scientific collaboration, exchanging research findings and satellite remote sensing data, and conducting joint studies on environmental protection, land degradation, desertification and soil salinization.
According to Uzbekistan's National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change, the dialogue also explored new areas of cooperation aimed at supporting sustainable development across Central Asia.
During the meeting, the Chinese side commended Uzbekistan's environmental policies and its efforts to promote green development and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through ongoing environmental reforms.
The discussions also highlighted the establishment of the Central Asian Center for Ecology and Environmental Research at Green University in Tashkent with the support of the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography.
"The new research center will serve as a modern scientific platform for addressing pressing environmental and climate challenges while expanding regional cooperation," Uzbekistan's National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change said.
According to the committee, the new research center is expected to serve as a regional platform for scientific collaboration, environmental research and climate studies, strengthening cooperation between Uzbekistan, China and other Central Asian countries.
The initiative reflects growing environmental cooperation between China and Central Asia as the region seeks to address shared challenges including water scarcity, desertification, biodiversity loss and the impacts of climate change through joint research and technology exchange.
