China seeks stronger collaboration to promote early weather warnings

China aims to pioneer new paths for international collaboration to facilitate early warnings about weather conditions, providing Chinese technological expertise in disaster prevention and risk reduction, a senior official at the China Meteorological Administration said on Wednesday.

Chen Zhenlin, head of the CMA, highlighted the substantial progress the nation made in advancing international meteorological cooperation last year. This was exemplified by the unveiling of its early warning system at the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Baku, Azerbaijan, in November.

Solutions have been deployed for testing in countries such as Pakistan, Ethiopia and the Solomon Islands, Chen said during a report at the 2025 National Meteorological Work Conference in Beijing. The conference reviewed China's meteorological achievements in 2024 and set key goals for the current year.

China's early weather warning services have also been integrated into the China-Africa Cooperation Forum's green development partnership. The president of the Maldives and the prime minister of Sri Lanka visited the CMA to express their intent to boost collaboration, Chen noted.

The World Meteorological Organization endorsed China's role in global early weather warning systems, with its secretary-general praising China's "people-oriented "approach to meteorology as a model for the world, Chen added.

However, Chen emphasized that the increasingly complex global climate situation poses risks to socioeconomic development worldwide, as extreme weather events continue to rise in frequency and intensity.

Last year, countries such as the United States and Spain faced catastrophic weather disasters, resulting in significant loss of life. Super Typhoon Yagi caused economic damage to China that was six times greater than that caused by Typhoon Rammasun a decade ago.

Citing Swiss Re, a leading international reinsurance provider, Chen said global economic losses from natural disasters last year surpassed $310 billion.

To address these challenges, China plans to develop more efficient and inclusive early warning platforms to enhance global monitoring and forecasting capabilities. Chen said China aims to offer comprehensive solutions in meteorological disaster prevention and reduction.

This year, China will expand meteorological cooperation with key regions such as Africa and Southeast Asia, focusing on building cloud-based early warning systems to support the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative.

China also intends to strengthen ties with the United States, European nations and global organizations as it advocates for the international standardization of meteorological technologies, particularly in sectors such as artificial intelligence and early warning systems, Chen said.

The country will share its experiences in climate change adaptation at the 62nd session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, scheduled for February in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.

zhaoyimeng@chinadaily.com.cn