——Seminar on Green Finance for BRI Partner Countries Traced China’s Green Footprints

To deepen capital-flow cooperation, promote capacity development in the field of green finance among the Belt and Road Partner Countries, the Seminar on Green Finance for BRI Partner Countries, which was hosted by the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China and organized by Xiamen National Accounting Institute (XNAI), was successfully convened in Xiamen. This seminar, while marking the 20th anniversary of the concept “Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets,”  drew 43 officials, think-tank scholars and business representatives from eleven countries—Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Cameroon, Grenada, Iraq, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda and Uzbekistan.

I. Well-designed curriculum, zeroing-in on green finance  

This seminar invited officials and scholars from the Ministry of Finance and XNAI, revolved around green finance and sustainable development. Core modules included green monetary policy, green fiscal tools, green-tech & financial innovation, and ESG-driven corporate sustainability, mapping China’s policy architecture and real-world pathways.

II. Well-organized field visits traced China’s green practice,  

Participants traced China’s green development in Zhejiang and Fujian provinces. In Yu Village, Zhejiang, the birthplace of the “Two Mountains” Theory, 43 participants grasped the profound transition from relying on the mountains to nurturing them for prosperity, witnessing the journey from mines to green peaks and from trading stones to capitalizing on scenic beauty. In Huangdu Village, Zhejiang, they learned how the community lifted itself out of poverty by developing the eco-industry through tea cultivation. At the Mulan River Governance Exhibition Hall, Putian, they reviewed Chinese President Xi Jinping’s instruction to a governance approach dedicated to harnessing challenges for the well-being of the local people. Then they visited Budweiser China Beer Museum and saw how sustainable water use and green production are forging a virtuous cycle of sustainable development. In Junying Village, Xiamen, they learned from the approach of restoring the mountaintops with greenery while cultivating cash crops on the hillsides and below. a model reconciling conservation with growth and pairing poverty alleviation with ecological protection.

III. Ongoing vision, unite for green cooperation

At the closing ceremony, Ms. Abigail Vijandjua Nainda, Deputy Director of the Bank of Namibia, said the lectures and site visits turned the concept of Two Mountains Theory into tangible, offering a real reference for green transitions. She noted that finance and technology remain key hurdles for developing countries in climate transformation, praising China’s leadership in advancing the green-finance agenda under the G20 and other multilateral frameworks.

Mr. Xu Kai, Vice President of the Academy for International Business Officials (MOFCOM), and Mr. Ding Yougang, President of XNAI, congratulated 43 participants on the successful completion of the seminar. Ding Yougang encouraged them to become ambassadors, practitioners and catalysts of green finance development, integrate China's experience with their national contexts to advance the global green transition. Xu Kai pointed out that in the face of global challenges, nations must uphold open collaboration, enhance systemic resilience, build the broadest possible consensus, and achieve synergistic development.

IV. Driving Forward, expanding high-quality foreign aid training

The seminar marks the significant achievements in XNAI’s ongoing efforts to enhance its China-aid training program management system. XNAI prioritizes management team capacity-building. This year it innovatively introduced a teacher-led project-design mechanism that markedly improves the quality of curriculum development and teaching implementation.

In July XNAI received an appreciation letter from Mr. Makis Keravnos, the Minister of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Cyprus, for the Seminar on Economic and Trade Cooperation for BRI Partner Countries held in June. On 6 July CCTV News, the news covering the launch of the BRICS Customs Center of Excellence, showed 36 participants visiting Xiamen Customs Comprehensive Service Hall.

Since 2022 XNAI’s China-aid training programs, sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China have scaled up from a single theme to four specialized tracks, having nearly 300 officials, scholars and executives from over 40 countries. China-aid training programs function as a vehicle for serving national strategy and a bridge fostering global friendship and cooperation. In July XNAI debuted its “Footprints” video series, encouraging participants to spot stories with their real experience. Going forward, XNAI will further strengthen the training management team and organize more high-calibre seminars.