On June 26, the first China-Central Asia Meteorological Cooperation Forum (hereinafter referred to as the Forum) with the theme of "Coping with the impact of climate change and meteorological Disasters to help build a regional community of common Destiny" opened in Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Vice Director of the China Meteorological Administration Bi Kuibai, Vice Chairman of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Meldan Mugeti, Director of the Hydrometeorological Bureau of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Kyrgyzstan Murzabekov Zurumovich and other officials attended the event. Ben Churchill, Director of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Regional Office for Asia, Southwest and Pacific delivered a remote address.

Officials from meteorological and hydrological departments of Central Asian countries such as Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Pakistan, Mongolia, Nepal and international organizations such as WMO, as well as representatives and experts from China Meteorological Administration, domestic universities, research institutes and enterprises gathered together to deepen regional meteorological cooperation. We will enhance our capacity to respond to climate change.

Bi pointed out that the Urumqi Initiative on Meteorological Disaster Prevention and Mitigation and Climate Change in Central Asia, adopted in 2015, has set up a communication platform for meteorological science and technology cooperation between China and relevant countries, and promoted practical cooperation in meteorological observation, satellite remote sensing application, numerical forecasting, climate change research and personnel training. It is hoped that this meeting will form new areas and new actions for regional cooperation in the future, strengthen personnel exchanges and meteorological education and training, and make positive contributions to improving regional meteorological disaster prevention capabilities, mitigating risks brought about by climate change, and promoting sustainable development.

Meldan Mugeti said that he will take the forum as an opportunity to deepen cooperation with meteorological departments of Central Asian countries and universities, scientific research institutions and enterprises at home and abroad, work together to research core and key technologies, build platforms for scientific and innovation cooperation, strengthen personnel exchange and training, promote the deep integration of innovation chain and talent chain, and promote regional meteorological cooperation to go deeper and deeper.

Murzabekov Zurumovich believes that the event is an important step towards building a regional community of common destiny. Joint research and exchange of experience and technology will mitigate risks related to extreme weather events and enhance the effectiveness of regional meteorological cooperation. It is hoped that all parties will improve the regional meteorological exchange and cooperation mechanism and contribute to regional sustainable development.

Ben Churchill highly appreciated this important platform for regional meteorological cooperation and knowledge sharing, believing that it is in line with WMO regional meteorological capacity building and building a common future, and will contribute to the implementation of the UN Early Warning for All Initiative and the realization of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

At the meeting, the participants deliberated and adopted the Urumqi Initiative on Meteorological Disaster Prevention and Mitigation and Climate Change. They will jointly implement the UN Early Warning Initiative for All at the regional, sub-regional and national levels through comprehensive regional meteorological observation capacity and data and information sharing, remote sensing monitoring and data application of meteorological satellites, joint research and development of regional high-resolution numerical forecasting models, and joint efforts. We will strengthen cooperation in addressing climate change and disaster reduction, and in building sub-regional cooperation mechanisms and partnerships.

The forum, co-sponsored by the Chinese Meteorological Society and the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Meteorological Bureau, will last until Sunday. Among them, the Smart weather Equipment exhibition will be held on the 27th, focusing on the achievements and equipment of meteorological modernization in smart weather, scientific and technological innovation, disaster prevention and reduction.

（Reprinted from the wechat public account of China Meteorological Administration）