On July 21, 2025, the official opening ceremony of the Tajikistan-China Joint Laboratory on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biological Resources under the “One Belt – One Road” Initiative took place at the Research Center for Ecology and Environment of Central Asia (Dushanbe), under the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan.

The event was attended by the President of the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan, academician KOBILJON KHUSHVAKHTZODA, and the Deputy Minister of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China, Mr. CHEN JIACHANG.

The ceremony also saw the participation of a delegation from the Ministry of Science and Technology of the PRC, vice-presidents, the chief scientific secretary, and directors of research institutes of the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan.

The chief scientific secretary of the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan, Professor QOSIMSHO ISKANDAROV, welcomed the guests. The President of the NAST, academician KOBILJON KHUSHVAKHTZODA, and Deputy Minister Mr. CHEN JIACHANG officially inaugurated the joint laboratory.

After the ceremony, the guests toured the new laboratory, which is located at the Research Center for Ecology and Environment of Central Asia (Dushanbe), under the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan.

Professor YANG WEIKANG from the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan ABDUSATTOR SAIDOV, who act as co-directors of the new laboratory from the Tajik side, presented information about the laboratory’s goals and objectives.

The Tajikistan-China Joint Laboratory was established in accordance with the directives of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, H.E. EMOMALI RAHMON, and the President of the People’s Republic of China, XI JINPING. Its purpose is to strengthen efforts in conserving biological resources in the arid regions of Central Asia, conduct research, develop advanced key technologies, and promote sustainable and eco-friendly (green) development of the region. The laboratory also serves as scientific and technological support within the frameworks of the initiatives “Building a Community of Shared Future between China and Tajikistan in the New Era” and “One Belt – One Road”.

To support and advance research activities, scientists and experts from other Central Asian countries will be engaged as key partners in the laboratory’s work.

In the future, the laboratory will focus on the conservation and sustainable use of biological resources in arid areas, and will become a high-level platform for international innovative cooperation in science and technology, developing key technologies in the fields of environmental protection and biological resources, and contributing to the sustainable development of the region.