At a time when addressing climate change and protecting biodiversity have become global common endeavors, a demonstration cooperation embodying the green development consensus between China and France is now being formally implemented in Qixian County, Jinzhong City, Shanxi Province. The "Ecological Restoration and Reconstruction Project of Changyuan River National Wetland Park, Qixian, Jinzhong City, Shanxi Province", supported by a loan of 10 million euros from the French Development Agency (AFD), has moved into full and substantive implementation. This marks not only the formal deployment of funds but also symbolizes a new phase in Sino-French ecological and environmental cooperation, deepening from financial support to the integration of technical co-construction and sustainable development concepts. It is noteworthy that the Energy and Environmental Development Research Center (EED) has been awarded the contract as an independent Chinese entity, assuming full responsibility for providing technical assistance throughout the project. This fully demonstrates the professional expertise and international project execution capabilities of China's consulting institutions in the field of ecological restoration.

This project is not only a systematic restoration of the wetland ecosystem following the 2021 disaster - triggered by heavy rainfall that caused a sharp rise in the Changyuan River’s water level and subsequent flooding - but also serves as a demonstration project for deepened Sino-French cooperation in ecological and environmental protection and for jointly addressing climate change. The loan will be exclusively used for the ecological restoration and reconstruction of the Changyuan River National Wetland Park. It aims to, through scientific planning and technological innovation, restore the wetland's ecological functions, enhance biodiversity, and strengthen the region's resilience against extreme climate events. The project's implementation will lay a solid ecological foundation for the sustainable development of Qixian County, promoting the coordinated development of the local economy, society, and environmental protection.

In this project, the French Development Agency (AFD) has moved beyond its traditional role as a "funding provider". By introducing rigorous environmental and social safeguard policies, international project governance standards, and a cooperation model emphasizing knowledge transfer, AFD has established a high-quality implementation pathway for the project, ensuring funds are invested not only in construction but in a sustainable future. As a professional consulting service provider, EED will leverage its comprehensive expertise in fields such as eco-hydrology, wetland restoration, climate adaptation planning, and community sustainable development. Its responsibilities include developing scientific ecological restoration and engineering design guidelines to ensure engineering measures prioritize ecology and are technically feasible; establishing an adaptive monitoring and evaluation system to provide data support for the long-term health management of the wetland and for AFD's performance assessments; and conducting multi-level capacity building to embed international experience and technical knowledge within local institutions and communities.

The implementation of this project will become another landmark initiative for Qixian County and even Shanxi Province in practicing the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets." It will not only restore a precious wetland but also build a new model of regional development that is climate-resilient, ecologically sustainable, and benefits communities. As the technical assistance and capacity-building agency for this project, EED will provide crucial intellectual support and technical guarantee for the smooth progress of the entire reconstruction project with its professional services, opening a new chapter in Sino-French ecological cooperation.