Nearly 270 delegates from China, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia convened in Xinjiang's Altay City this week for the Greater Altai International Conference, marking a milestone in cross-border cooperation. The event focused on unlocking the subregion's potential through joint initiatives in trade, ecology, and cultural exchange.
Participants endorsed a multi-pronged cooperation framework addressing climate resilience, infrastructure modernization, and agricultural innovation. Vitaliy Snesar, vice governor of Russia's Altai Region, emphasized the area's "unique cultural heritage and untapped economic synergies" as drivers for sustainable development.
Key outcomes include plans for upgraded cross-border logistics corridors and a joint research program targeting drought-resistant crops. Jilel Helel of Xinjiang's science department highlighted ecological priorities: "Our shared mountains and rivers demand shared solutions—from green tech transfers to biodiversity corridors."
The conference showcased practical collaborations, including Chinese-developed water conservation systems being adapted for Kazakh farmlands and proposed student exchange programs between Mongolian and Chinese universities. Twenty-one signed agreements signal growing private-sector engagement in renewable energy and smart agriculture projects.
Spanning 780,000 sq km across four nations, the Altai subregion combines strategic mineral reserves with growing transport connectivity. Analysts note its position along emerging Eurasia trade routes could make it a testing ground for climate-smart development models.
