As countries around the world search for sustainable alternatives to plastic, China is stepping up efforts to share its bamboo-based solutions with developing nations.
Thirty government officials, researchers and industry representatives from nine countries recently gathered in China for the Seminar on Bamboo and Rattan Technology Innovation for Developing Countries, where they explored how bamboo and rattan technologies can help reduce plastic pollution, support rural development and advance green growth.
Sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce and hosted by the International Center for Bamboo and Rattan (ICBR) under the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, the 14-day program took participants from Gambia, Kenya, Moldova, Rwanda, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Thailand, Tonga and Zimbabwe to Beijing and Hainan Province for lectures, discussions and field visits.
Plastic pollution has become a major global environmental challenge. More than 140 countries have introduced policies to restrict or ban plastics, making the search for sustainable alternatives an urgent shared task for the international community.
In 2022, China joined hands with the International Bamboo and Rattan Organization (INBAR) to launch the "Bamboo as a Substitute for Plastic" initiative. In 2023, the National Development and Reform Commission, together with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Finance and the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, issued a three-year action plan to accelerate the initiative. The plan outlined seven key actions covering scientific and technological innovation, industrial ecosystem development, substitution in priority sectors and international exchanges and cooperation.
That same year, the Chinese government and INBAR jointly released the Global Action Plan for Bamboo as a Substitute for Plastic (2023-2030), setting out six major goals and 23 concrete actions. Over the past three years, the initiative has delivered notable results. The number of bamboo products has surpassed 15,000 and the annual output value of China's bamboo industry has exceeded 520 billion yuan. Forestry and grassland authorities have established a dedicated standards system for the initiative covering nine major categories and 140 items, while 37 priority scientific and technological achievements have been put into practical use. In July 2025, an expanded catalogue increased the number of recommended substitute product categories from 17 to 25.
In recent years, to help the initiative take root globally, ICBR has led technological research and standards development while sharing China's experience through seminars, technical assistance and joint projects. Its efforts have helped more countries recognize bamboo's potential to reduce carbon emissions and plastic pollution, create jobs and revitalize rural communities. This long-term commitment is supporting the global green transition and turning China's bamboo solutions into a practical model that delivers benefits worldwide.
Beyond these innovations, the seminar was a meeting of hearts. Participants returned home not only with knowledge of bamboo and rattan science and technology, but also with a deeper appreciation of China's green development philosophy and a lasting connection with the Chinese people. From Beijing to Hainan and from China to the world, bamboo alternatives to plastic are becoming hallmarks of China's green diplomacy, offering sustainable solutions and sharing China's experience with the world.