On June 20, 2024, the 20th anniversary celebration of the development of China's Global Geoparks was held in Beijing. The conference reviewed the 20-year development journey of China's Global Geoparks, exchanged good practices and experiences in the management and sustainable development of Global Geoparks, and arranged and deployed the key tasks for the next stage.

      The Zhijindong Cave Global Geopark sent two representatives, the director of the Geopark Administration Bureau and the head of the Geopark Management Section, to attend this commemorative event. During the exchange and discussion, they introduced the re-evaluation situation of the Zhijindong Cave Global Geopark in July 2023, focusing on the theme of geopark management and sustainable development. Shared experiences and views on the management of Global Geoparks with the leaders of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration and the National Geopark Network Center, as well as the representatives of 46 domestic Global Geoparks attending the meeting, and put forward their own opinions and suggestions on the next work plan of the National Geopark Network Center.

       It is understood that China currently has 47 Global Geoparks, ranking first in the world in terms of quantity. They are distributed in 23 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) as well as the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Its core concept is to promote sustainable economic and social development by protecting geological relics of international value and making use of the unique natural relics and cultural heritage resources within the region.

(Photo provided by Zhao Hongshan