During a visit to Qinghai Province on October 9, Isabel Domingos, the Ambassador of São Tomé and Príncipe to China, shared her thoughts on the region’s significance. “Qinghai is a pioneering area for the harmonious coexistence of humanity and nature,” she remarked. “It has valuable experience in ecosystem protection, clean energy development, and international ecological tourism. I look forward to engaging in extensive exchanges throughout this visit.”
Ambassador Domingos was part of a diverse delegation, including representatives from nearly 20 countries such as the Dominican Republic, Latvia, Armenia, and Sri Lanka. This group, organized by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is participating in a study tour of Qinghai from October 9 to 12. On the afternoon of their arrival, the delegation visited the Qinghai Provincial Natural Resources Museum, where they gained insights into local natural resources, ecological civilization, and the comprehensive protection efforts concerning the region’s unique ecosystem, which encompasses “mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands, and deserts.”
“The museum serves as a window into the ecological value of Qinghai and the Tibetan Plateau as a whole,” Domingos explained. “It powerfully illustrates the simple truth that ‘human beings cannot survive without nature.’ The water systems from the sources of the three rivers nourish people in surrounding countries, and ecological changes on the Tibetan Plateau can create a ‘butterfly effect,’ impacting not just China and Asia, but the entire world. Even though I come from Africa, I feel a deep connection to this region.”
Echoing her sentiments, Hugo Siles, Bolivia’s Ambassador to China, said, “My country is located in the Andes, and we share many similarities with Qinghai’s natural environment. Qinghai Lake is famous, and we have lakes that are similarly breathtaking, often referred to as the ‘mirror of the sky.’ With valuable resources like sodium and lithium, I am eager to learn how Qinghai is leveraging technology to protect the environment and utilize its natural resources scientifically.”
The delegation plans to explore the Qinghai Lake Wetland Protection Area and visit a photovoltaic industrial park. This experience will allow them to appreciate the region’s pristine ecology and rich cultural history, often referred to as the “Third Pole of the World,” while also gaining valuable insights into local green and low-carbon industry development.
