BEIJING — China will host an international forum on nongovernmental cooperation on ecological improvement along the Belt and Road.

The forum, scheduled for Sept 12 and 13 in Wuwei city of Northwest China’s Gansu province, will launch a restoration project of the Populus euphratica trees along the Belt and Road to promote nongovernmental cooperation on ecological improvement, Chen Peng, vice-president of China Green Foundation, said at a press briefing on Sept 4.

There is also a plan to launch a fund for international cooperation in ecological improvement.

Chen said the road to ecological improvement along the Belt and Road would be long and uphill as desertification and land degradation are serious in many Belt and Road countries.

During the forum, China will share its experiences in ecological improvement and promote nongovernmental cooperation to tackle ecological problems along the Belt and Road, said Chen.

A total of 180 representatives from over 20 countries along the Belt and Road and international organizations will attend the forum.