The 2026 China International Gold Conference and the Gansu High-Quality Gold Industry Development Conference commenced in Lanzhou, Gansu Province, on July 16. The event, themed "Gold Empowers the West, Silk Road Co-creates the Future," was organized by the China Gold Association, hosted by Jinchuan Group, Baiyin Nonferrous Group, and the Dunhuang Gold Culture brand, with the World Gold Council as a co-organizer. Over a thousand representatives from relevant government departments, domestic and international industry associations, key enterprises across the gold industry chain, financial institutions, and research institutes gathered in Lanzhou to share insights and build consensus, attending this Silk Road gathering for the gold sector.
Ren Zhenhe, Deputy Secretary of the Gansu Provincial Party Committee and Governor, attended and delivered a speech at the opening ceremony. Ren pointed out that Gansu's gold resource reserves rank second nationally. In recent years, leveraging its resource endowment, the province has deeply implemented a new round of strategic actions for mineral exploration breakthroughs, continuously tackling key technologies such as intelligent mining, full-industry-chain upgrades, and comprehensive utilization of associated resources. The gold industry has shown a positive trend of quality improvement, volume expansion, and efficiency gains. In 2025, the province's comprehensive gold processing volume reached 204.7 tons, generating approximately 180 billion yuan in industrial output value and contributing 38% to the province's industrial growth, becoming a crucial pillar for stable growth, structural adjustment, and transformation. He stated that in the new journey of the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, Gansu has systematically planned and made practical arrangements for gold industry development around serving and integrating into the new development pattern. The province will deeply integrate its resource advantages, corporate strengths, and market forces to accelerate the development of a high-quality gold industry path with Gansu characteristics. He expressed hope for deepening practical cooperation with the China Gold Association and gold enterprises, focusing on the gold sector, comprehensively extending the industry towards intelligence, green development, and high-end value, promoting synergistic development and complementary advantages across the industry chain, and building the gold industry into a major industry for enriching the people. Gansu will empower enterprises with the best business environment, support them with the most substantial policies, and accompany them with the most comprehensive services, ensuring every enterprise can find fertile ground for growth and cooperation in Gansu, allowing golden partnerships to thrive and create brilliance together on the land of Longyuan.
Zhou Zhou, President of the China Gold Association and Party Committee Secretary and Chairman of China National Gold Group, delivered a speech. In his address, Zhou pointed out that Gansu is a key strategic resource pivot in western China and a core hub for opening up to the west, with a complete industrial chain and a first-class business environment, presenting broad prospects for the gold industry. Zhou stated that the "15th Five-Year Plan" period is a critical stage for the gold industry to build on past achievements, improve quality, and increase efficiency. The entire industry is accelerating the construction of a high-quality, modern industrial system centered on high-end, intelligent, and green development. He proposed three initiatives: deepen resource collaboration, focus on increasing reserves and production, accelerate the development of deep and refractory gold deposits, and solidify the "ballast stone" of resource security; strengthen collaborative governance, intensify fundamental research and breakthroughs in key core technologies, and forge resilience in the industrial and supply chains; deepen Silk Road openness and collaboration, leverage the Lanzhou land port hub to connect globally, and establish new channels for "Belt and Road" gold trade and financial cooperation, making the Silk Road "golden channel" worthy of its name. Zhou emphasized that the China Gold Association will continue to play its role as a bridge and link, assisting Gansu in enhancing the scale effect and brand influence of its gold industry, and better serving the national resource security strategy and the construction of a unified national market.
Yan Diyong, Party Committee Secretary and Vice President of the China Gold Association, presided over the opening ceremony. He stated that the conference aims to promote the gold industry's deep integration into major national strategies such as the joint construction of the "Belt and Road," forming a new pattern for promoting the large-scale development of the western region in the new era, and deepening east-west collaboration, activating the industry's endogenous development momentum, and empowering the high-quality economic and social development of the Longyuan region.
Academicians of the Chinese Academy of Engineering Mao Jingwen and Li Xibing, Gansu provincial leaders Zhang Xiaoqiang, Wang Xu, Wu Wanhua, and He Moubao attended the opening ceremony. Leaders from relevant departments, including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology's Department of Raw Materials Industry, the Ministry of Natural Resources' Department of Mining Rights Management, the People's Bank of China's Financial Markets Department, the Northwest Survey and Planning Institute of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, and the Non-coal Mine Safety Supervision Department of the National Mine Safety Administration, along with leaders from some central and local enterprises, heads of relevant provincial departments and cities/prefectures in Gansu, renowned industry experts, representatives from key enterprises across the entire gold industry chain, and primary leaders from gold management departments (associations) of provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities) participated in the opening ceremony.
Liu Jianxun, Deputy Secretary of the Lanzhou Municipal Party Committee and Mayor; Zhang Xiaohai, Vice President of the China Gold Association and Party Committee Secretary and Chairman of Shandong Gold Group; Zou Laichang, Vice President of the China Gold Association and Party Committee Secretary and Chairman of Zijin Mining Group; Wang Leyi, Vice President of the China Gold Association and Party Committee Secretary and Chairman of Shandong Zhaojin Group; David Tait, Chief Executive Officer of the World Gold Council; Zhang Weiwu, Member of the Party Committee and Deputy President of Industrial and Commercial Bank of China; Ji Zhihong, Member of the Party Committee and Deputy President of China Construction Bank; Li Hua, Member of the Party Committee and Vice President of the Shanghai Gold Exchange; and Zhang Ming, Deputy General Manager of the Shanghai Futures Exchange, along with other leaders from relevant units across the industry chain, delivered speeches at the opening ceremony. They collectively explored pathways for the high-quality development of the gold industry from perspectives such as resource development, financial empowerment, and market construction.
Following the opening ceremony, a Gansu gold promotion event was held. Academician Mao Jingwen of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and head of the national technical group for the new round of strategic actions for mineral exploration breakthroughs delivered a speech. Responsible officials from the Gansu Provincial Department of Industry and Information Technology, the Provincial Department of Natural Resources, and the Lanzhou Municipal Government introduced the development opportunities, resource prospects of the province's gold industry, and Lanzhou's gold industry, respectively. Enterprise representatives from Jinchuan Group, Baiyin Nonferrous Group, and the Dunhuang Gold Culture brand also gave promotional speeches.
The three-day conference is structured around key areas including Gansu gold, gold markets, gold mining, and gold culture. It will host multiple thematic events focusing on Gansu's mineral exploration strategic breakthroughs, green finance for the entire gold industry chain, financial services for Gansu's gold industry, high-level open development of the gold and jewelry industry, integrated development of the precious metals industry, safe and green gold development in western regions, sustainable development of the gold industry, and Silk Road gold culture innovation and creation. A group standard release ceremony for "Pure Gold (Silver) Body Enamel" and "Pure Gold (Silver) Body Lacquerware" will also be held.
The conference also includes site visit sessions. On July 18, participating delegates will be organized into two routes—industry and culture—for field inspections to experience firsthand the solid capabilities of Gansu's gold industry and the unique charm of Silk Road gold culture.
It is understood that since its inception in 2014, the China International Gold Conference has become the largest and highest-level international event in China's gold industry. It serves as a crucial window for releasing information, showcasing brands, and promoting new products and technologies for the domestic and international gold community, as well as an important platform for promoting deeper exchanges, sharing successful experiences, and jointly seeking development paths. This marks the first time the event has been held in western China and in Gansu. With the Silk Road adorned with gold, unity leads to far-reaching achievements. This gathering in Lanzhou is set to inject new, powerful momentum into the high-quality development of China's gold industry.
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