Pu’er, Yunnan – 28 October 2025 – The Second Pu’er Forum on Asia-Pacific Forests opens today in Pu’er City, co-organized by the Yunnan Provincial Forestry and Grassland Administration, Pu'er Municipal People's Government, and the Asia-Pacific Network for Sustainable Forest Management and Rehabilitation (APFNet). Under the theme “Strengthen Sustainable Forest Management, Promote Harmony Between Humanity and Nature,” the forum aims to strengthen regional forestry exchanges and practical cooperation, advance sustainable forest management, and support the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Global Development Initiative.
The opening ceremony was hosted by Mr. Wang Chunfeng, Executive Director of the APFNet. More than 300 participants attended, including forestry officials from over 20 Asia-Pacific economies, international organizations, research institutions, universities, and enterprises, marking an expansion compared to the first forum held in 2023.
In their opening remarks, representatives from the Yunnan Provincial People’s Government, National Forestry and Grassland Administration of China, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation of Myanmar, Pu’er city, and APFNet highlighted the irreplaceable role of forests—as the core of terrestrial ecosystems—in addressing climate change, conserving biodiversity, and advancing green development. They called on Asia-Pacific economies to strengthen cooperation, focus on mechanism innovation, explore sustainable and inclusive paths for forestry development, and achieve harmonious coexistence between humans and nature through sustainable forest management.
Mr.HLA Maung Thein, Permanent Secretary of Myanmar’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation, acknowledged the outcomes of the first forum in promoting information sharing across the region and expressed hope for further consensus-building to accelerate progress on sustainable development goals.
During the opening session, Yunnan Provincial Forestry and Grassland Bureau signed framework memorandums of understanding with the Departments of Agriculture and Environment of Oudomxay, Phongsaly, and Luang Namtha provinces in Laos. The Pu'er Forestry Industry Association and the Pu'er-Shanghai Science and Technology Service Center signed a Memorandum of Understanding with relevant Lao enterprises to jointly establish the "China-Laos Agroforestry and Rural Development Research Platform."
Running until October 30, the forum comprises three main components: the Main Forum, the "Pu'er Day" and Sub-Forum. The main forum, structured an opening ceremony and a high-level officials meeting, focuses on enhancing sustainable forest management to foster practical exchange and cooperation within the region.
The newly introduced “Pu’er Day” is designed to showcase Pu’er’s distinctive strengths, boost regional collaboration, and elevate its industrial development. Additionally, six sub-forums will be held during the event covering forestry industry, forestry policy, sustainable forest management and carbon sinks, forestry education, nature education, and biodiversity conservation - deepening regional information sharing, project alignment, policy learning, and academic exchange.
The first Pu’er Forum on Asia-Pacific Forests was successfully held in October 2023 with support from APFNet and has since been permanently anchored in Pu’er. It also saw the launch of the Global Network for Sustainable Forest Management. Since the inaugural forum, Yunnan has leveraged its geographic advantages to actively integrate into and contribute to the Belt and Road Initiative, continuously deepening practical cooperation with other Asia-Pacific economies.
This year’s forum will further expand the APFNet partnership network and promote cooperation within Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) and beyond. It will strengthen Yunnan, especially Pu’er’s role in fostering win-win collaboration, refining mechanisms for communication, consultation, coordination, and information sharing with Asia-Pacific economies. The forum will also explore new pathways to expand forestry trade channels, deepen forestry technological innovation, and advance regional forestry development, thereby playing a more active radiating and driving role in promoting the sustainable forestry development across the Asia-Pacific regions.
