He Lifeng Emphasizes Mining Supply Chains and Inspects Tianjin Trade Hubs

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng called for stable global mineral supply chains and reaffirmed China's respect for national resource sovereignty during the opening of the 2026 China International Mining Conference in Tianjin. Addressing international attendees, He framed mining partnerships as essential to shared development and industrial security. Alongside the forum, He conducted field inspections across Tianjin's industrial parks and free trade platforms, urging local authorities to advance Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei regional integration and expand modern service sectors including financial leasing and cross-border e-commerce.

As global competition over critical minerals intensifies, Beijing is signaling a cooperative stance toward resource-rich nations by explicitly endorsing their resource sovereignty and local industrialization paths. Concurrently, the focus on Tianjin highlights domestic efforts to upgrade trade infrastructure and specialized financial services to bolster foreign trade amidst external headwinds.

Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng emphasized the preservation of global mining supply chains and national resource sovereignty while addressing the Ministerial Forum on International Mining Cooperation and the 2026 China International Mining Conference in Tianjin, state media reported. Speaking at the opening ceremony, He stated that international mining partnerships are vital for balancing national resource strengths, driving economic progress, and maintaining the stability of global production and supply networks. He noted that China adheres to the principle of respecting the mineral resource sovereignty of all countries, supporting their right to determine domestic resource extraction and industrial development models. He added that China seeks to deepen pragmatic cooperation to foster sustainable and mutually beneficial growth across the sector. Prior to the conference opening, He toured the mining machinery and equipment exhibition, where domestic and international firms presented extraction and processing technologies. During his time in Tianjin, He also conducted on-site research visits covering several key economic and technological development zones. His itinerary included inspections of the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City, the Tianjin Binhai-Zhongguancun Science and Technology Park, national-level economic and technological development areas, and comprehensive bonded zones. He instructed municipal authorities to accelerate the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei coordinated development strategy and leverage the coastal city's geographic and policy advantages. He emphasized advancing urban renewal and pushing forward the structural modernization of Tianjin's trade and opening platforms. Specifically, He called for expanding specialized sectors, including cross-border e-commerce, financial leasing, and logistics warehousing, to sustain high-level opening-up and high-quality economic development.