The Chinese government is willing to enhance international exchanges and partnerships to build geoparks and to protect and utilize valuable geological resources, Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan said Sunday. 

"In response to the initiative of a Global Geopark Network proposed by United Nations Scientific, Educational and Cultural Organization, China has established 85 national geoparks," Zeng said in a congratulatory letter to the First International Conference on Geoparks, which opened in Beijing yesterday.

The establishment of geoparks has effectively preserved geological heritage, scientific knowledge, and the growth of tourism industry, Zeng said.

Describing the conference as a "milestone" in the field of global geology, Zeng said Beijing, as conference host, will avidly promote construction of geoparks across the nation and learn from the experiences of other countries.

The conference, with the theme of "protecting geoheritage for achieving sustainable development," promotes the sound development of world geoparks.

It hopes to foster harmony between man and earth and intensify awareness of treasuring the planet.

During the two-day event, some 500 geological experts from 40 countries will hold discussions on methods and techniques for geological heritage protection and scientific functions of geoparks.

Important topics at the conference include the relationship between the protection and utilization of geoparks, an international network of geoparks to contribute to regional economies and the status quo of the global UNESCO Network of Geoparks.

(China Daily June 28, 2004)