Guangxi establishes cooperation link for mining and geoscience talents facing ASEAN

China News Service, Nanning, November 7 (Yu Jing) "The calcium carbonate industry is currently the key development direction of East Timor. Hezhou, Guangxi has a relatively complete calcium carbonate industry chain. The cooperation framework reached by the two parties this time will export Guangxi talents and technology to East Timor." Li Jiahao, chairman and CEO of East Timor EMG‑MRT Ilimanu, Lda., said during an interview in Nanning on the 7th.

The 2026 China (Guangxi)-ASEAN Mining Cooperation Conference came to an end in Nanning on the 7th. During the conference, special promotion conferences for the mining of East Timor, Laos and other ASEAN countries were held. A number of cooperation memorandums of understanding were signed between enterprises from ASEAN countries and Guangxi mining-related associations, universities, etc., aiming to jointly explore mining cooperation opportunities.

Bonnon Sitavon, Director of the Department of Geology and Minerals of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Laos, introduced at the Laos National Mining Promotion Conference that Chinese companies and investments currently engaged in mining business in Laos account for about 40% of the total local mining investment. Among key strategic mineral mining companies such as iron, copper, gold, and potassium salts, Chinese capital accounts for a high proportion. Laos hopes to rely on China’s advantages in mining investment and financing and advanced mining and processing technology to make up for its own industrial shortcomings.

At the Timor-Leste National Mining Promotion Conference, it was also a consensus to expect external technical and intellectual support. Li Jiahao's company signed a framework cooperation agreement with the Guangxi Calcium Carbonate Industry Association at the aforementioned meeting. He believes that Timor-Leste, as a new member of ASEAN, is an emerging investment destination in the mining sector. For Chinese investors, the entire chain including upstream exploration, midstream mineral processing and smelting, supporting equipment and talent training contains opportunities for cooperation.

As the forefront of China's opening up and cooperation with ASEAN, Guangxi has abundant mineral resource reserves and its current industrial development layout is obvious towards the sea. The opening of the Pinglu Canal, coupled with the opening of the Nandan-Beibu Gulf Port metal mineral train, will further open up the land-sea logistics channel between Southwest China and ASEAN, providing strong support for the circulation of cross-border mineral products.

At the same time, the conference also held the finals of the 2026 AI+ Land Space Governance Innovation Application Competition, attracting students from mining training courses in ASEAN countries to attend. The competition specially set up the Best ASEAN Promotion Award to collect AI (artificial intelligence) solutions that adapt to ASEAN natural resource scenarios. Observers from ASEAN countries said that China's remote sensing and artificial intelligence technologies are impressive and hope to bring these technologies back to their countries for application.