The seminar will be held in the context of the Formulation Workshop of the IPPC Project of Capacity Development under the Framework of FAO-China South-South Cooperation (SSC) Programme. Speakers will be: Dr. Ren Wang, Assistant Director-General at FAO; Dr. Jingyuan Xia, IPPC Secretary; H.E. Amb. Nadeem Riyaz, Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to FAO; Prof. Wu Kongming, Vice President, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences; Prof. Wan Fanghao, Plant Protection Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

The initiative of jointly building the Silk Road Economic Belt (the belt) and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road (the Road) was raised by Chinese President Xi Jin-Ping in September 2013. The Belt and Road run through the continents of Asia, Europe and Africa, as well as the adjacent seas, connecting the vibrant East Asia economic circle at one end, and developed European economic circle at the other, and encompassing countries with huge potential for economic development. The increasing free trade, infrastructure construction, as well as people exchanges will increase the introduction of invasive alien pests in China and in other Belt and Road countries.

To overcome the overuse of insecticides, the Chinese government has decided to promote IPM application for pest control by carrying several measures, including in decreasing cost of non-chemical control through public investment, establishing IPM demonstration areas, educating and training modern farmers, and supporting social serve organizations. It is believed that these new policies will encourage farmers to use IPM measures and push non-chemical method into practice at large scale.