On October 22, the 6th ASEM (Asia-Europe Meeting) Urban Water Management Seminar took place in Changsha, attracting over 100 government officials, experts, scholars, business representatives, diplomats from embassies in China, and representatives from international organizations from 22 ASEM member countries.

The seminar’s theme, “Promoting Sustainable Development and Innovation in Water Resources for Shared Prosperity,” aimed to establish an influential international forum and collaborative network for sustainable water management in the Asia-Europe region. It sought to provide a platform for ASEM members to explore solutions, share outcomes, and exchange experiences, facilitating dialogue among governments, private sectors, academic circles, and the public on integrated and sustainable water resource management to better address challenges in water conservation and urban water management.

Jiang Duan, a senior official from the Chinese ASEM presidency, emphasized China’s role as a proactive advocate for practical cooperation within the ASEM framework. He expressed hope that this seminar would serve as a catalyst for strengthening exchanges in fields such as technology, culture, education, and think tanks, creating a comprehensive, multi-layered, and multi-channel cooperation framework. This would enhance the resilience of development in the Asia-Europe region, infusing greater certainty and positive energy into regional and global development efforts, and contributing to a prosperous future for ASEM cooperation.

Cao Zhiqiang, the Vice Governor of Hunan Province, indicated that Hunan would continue to strengthen its exchanges and collaborations with ASEM members to jointly tackle water resource and environmental challenges. He called for establishing a dialogue platform for cooperation, nurturing new engines for sustainable development, and enhancing collaboration in key technologies for sustainable water use and management, construction of innovation platforms, talent development, and technology transfer. This would create a new model of shared, win-win development.

During the seminar, experts from 17 countries, including representatives from water-related institutions and international organizations, presented academic reports focused on three main topics: comprehensive urban water environment management, ecological and environmental governance of rivers and lakes, and practical cases of technological innovation. They aimed to share successful experiences and practices in sustainable urban water management among ASEM members and discuss new trends in research, technology, and ideas within the relevant fields.

The ASEM Urban Water Management Seminar, organized by the ASEM Center for Water Resources Research and Utilization, plays a vital role in facilitating communication and collaboration among ASEM countries concerning sustainable water resource use and management. Established in 2014, this seminar has been held biennially, successfully completing five editions to date.