China proposes 'Digital Silk Road' for scientific co-operation

China has proposed an international scientific co-operation programme for Earth observation to provide digital backing to Beijing's mega Silk Road Project.

The "Digital Silk Road" proposal was put forward here on monday at an international symposium on Earth observation for the Belt and Road, the official designation for Silk Road.

The event was attended by over 300 Earth observation scholars and experts from more than 40 countries and regions along the Belt and Road, as well as international organisations like UNESCO.

Guo Huadong, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), said,"space based Earth observation technology will help enhance people's understanding of the Belt and Road in a faster, broader and more accurate way."

The "Digital Silk Road" programme will hopefully provide statistics and environmental information for the Belt and Road initiative and support decision making, Guo said.

Fu Bojie, another CAS academician, expressed hope that the Earth observation technology may be used to promote research on natural resources in countries along the Belt and Road, paving the way for more bilateral and multilateral cooperation,state run Xinhua news agency reported.

This "Digital Silk Road" programme will be scientific, open and co-operative and will welcome more countries, organisations and scholars to participate, Guo said.