On the morning of June 10, the globally watched 2026 World Coal Science and Technology Innovation Conference & Global Coal Industry Expo grandly opened at Shanghai New International Expo Centre. The landmark event kicked off by the Huangpu River, uniting global stakeholders for a pivotal industry gathering.

Robust Global Institutional Backing

Guided by the China Institute of Innovation and Development Strategy, China National Coal Machinery Industry Association, and Coal Industry Branch of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT Coal), the event is co-hosted by the Energy Industry Working Committee of the China Institute of Innovation and Development Strategy and Shixin International Exhibition Group Co., Ltd. Nine authoritative overseas industry bodies serve as international supporting partners: the Australian Minerals Council, Indonesian Coal Mining Association, Mongolia Coal Association, Pakistan Coal Association, Indian Coal Producers Association, Polish Investment and Trade Agency China Office, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and Women in Logistics and Transport South Africa. This lineup underscores the conference’s cross-border reach and unmatched global industry influence and convening power.

The opening ceremony drew an elite domestic and international delegation of distinguished speakers. Addresses were delivered in sequence by Cao Wei, Deputy Secretary-General of the China Institute of Innovation and Development Strategy; Dorjderem Bold, Consul General of Mongolia in Shanghai; Shang Tianming, Energy Counsellor at the Australian Embassy in China; You Deliang, Chief Representative of Polish Investment and Trade Agency in China; Ghulam Qadir, Executive Chairman of Pakistan Digital Economy Headquarters, General Manager of International Strategy Department at Guolian Co., Ltd., and former Pakistani Trade & Investment Counsellor to China; Cao Linbing, Executive Chairman of the World Coal Science and Technology Innovation Conference and Chairman of Shixin International Exhibition Group; and Sun Shouren, Senior Coal Industry Expert and Former Vice President of the China National Coal Association. Su Chuanrong, Vice President of CCPIT Coal Branch, presided over the ceremony.

Cao Wei, Deputy Secretary-General of the China Institute of Innovation and Development Strategy

Dorjderem Bold, Consul General of Mongolia in Shanghai

Shang Tianming, Energy Counsellor, Australian Embassy in China

You Deliang, Chief Representative of Polish Investment and Trade Agency in China

Ghulam Qadir, Executive Chairman of Pakistan Digital Economy Headquarters, General Manager of International Strategy Department, Guolian Co., Ltd., Former Trade and Investment Counsellor of Pakistan to China

Cao Linbing, Executive Chairman of the World Coal Science and Technology Innovation Conference, Chairman of Shixin International Exhibition Group Co., Ltd.

Sun Shouren, Senior Expert of China's Coal Industry (Former Vice President of China National Coal Association)

Su Chuanrong, Vice President, Coal Industry Branch of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT Coal)

Attendees numbered over 800, comprising representatives from 16 major coal-producing nations, industry chamber leaders, top academic experts and heads of leading enterprises. Notable participants included Yang Shuyong, Chairman of China National Coal Machinery Industry Association; Liu Zhiqiang, Foreign Academician of the Russian Academy of Engineering and First Chief Scientist of China Coal Technology & Engineering Group; Kapil Dagaat, Chairman of Indian Coal Producers Association; Dallas L. Wilkinson, President of the Australian Minerals Council; Geeta Mahyarani, Executive Secretary-General of the Indonesian Coal Mining Association; Oleg Alekseevich Park, Chairman of the Board of Kazakhstan Chemical Alliance and Parasat Entrepreneur Alliance; Bumbatagva, President of Mongolia Coal Association; Moipone Masalesa, Executive Chair of Women in Logistics and Transport South Africa; Nobuhiro Horii, Associate Professor at Kyushu University’s Graduate School of Economics; Wang Shibo, Professor at the School of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology; Wang Honglei, Dean of the Materials Research Institute and Director of the Big Data Intelligent Control Laboratory at the National Key Laboratory for Intelligent Coal Mining and Strata Control; alongside senior officials and association heads from Shaanxi, Ningxia, Sichuan, Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Guizhou, Hebei and Liaoning’s energy and coal sectors. Delegates engaged in in-depth exchanges under the theme Technology Transforms Coal, Innovation Shapes the Future, jointly drafting a new roadmap for green, intelligent and sustainable growth of the global coal sector.

Landmark Global Initiative Unveiled

A milestone document, the Shanghai Initiative: Action Framework for Advancing Global Coal Science and Technology Innovation, was officially released at the opening ceremony. Industry chamber representatives from China, Australia, Mongolia, India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan and other countries took the stage to issue a joint call for deeper technological collaboration and coordinated worldwide development. Centered on five core pillars—intelligent mining, clean coal utilization, mine ecological restoration, cross-border collaborative innovation, and professional talent cultivation—the Initiative establishes unified operating principles for global coal synergy. It aims to build consensus, tear down technical barriers, and foster an open, interconnected community with a shared future for the global coal industry. Immediately following the launch, a licensing ceremony for strategic partner organizations was held to solidify international cooperation foundations and drive tangible, long-term global coal collaboration.

Keynote Forums Explore Cutting-Edge Industry Frontiers

Two plenary sessions were scheduled for the conference. The first plenary keynote forum commenced on the afternoon of opening day, featuring rigorous academic dialogue and dynamic idea-sharing. Featured speakers included Yang Shuyong; Liu Zhiqiang; Geeta Mahyarani; Dallas L. Wilkinson; Li Mingzhong, General Manager of China Coal Technology Tianma Intelligent Control Co., Ltd.; Wang Shibo; Moipone Masalesa; and Zhang Lingfei, Chief Scientist of China Coal Technology Shenyang Design & Research Institute Co., Ltd. Discussions covered critical hot topics: deep shaft construction technologies, AI-enabled coal tech advancement, unmanned opencast mining, clean and high-efficiency coal conversion, and cross-border coal logistics frameworks, showcasing vibrant global progress in coal innovation.

Full-Value-Chain Expo Accelerates Technology Commercialization

Running for three concurrent days, the World Coal Industry Expo centers on technological innovation and showcases cutting-edge solutions across the entire coal industrial chain. High-end equipment and breakthrough technologies were on full display, including intelligent mining robots, AI mine management control systems, and new clean coal conversion processes. The expo creates a seamless pipeline linking R&D, product showcasing and business matching, serving as a robust platform to translate lab-developed coal technologies into industrial applications, drawing swarms of professional global visitors for on-site inspections, exchanges and business negotiations.

Premium Exclusive Networking Events

On the opening evening, a closed-door elite networking gala titled Glimmer of Global Coal Technology – Huangpu River Cruise Exclusive Night was hosted aboard the luxury cruise ship Shixin. This high-end private networking event connects top global coal industry figures to strengthen ties, build rapport and unlock new partnership opportunities. A second plenary session and roundtable dialogues were arranged for June 11, where industry leaders from China, India, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, South Africa, Japan, Russia and beyond will dissect national coal development strategies, low-carbon transition pathways and cross-border energy cooperation models.

Far-Reaching Significance for Global Collaborative Growth

The successful launch of the 2026 World Coal Science and Technology Innovation Conference & Expo not only demonstrates China’s comprehensive strengths in coal technological innovation, but also erects a vital cross-border bridge for industry collaboration. Amid rapid shifts in the global energy landscape, low-carbon energy transition has become an irreversible major trend. Rooted in industry realities and aligned with long-term global trends, this conference leverages technology as a driver and partnership as a bond to pool worldwide expertise and resources. It will inject powerful momentum into green, intelligent and sustainable development for the global coal industry. Organizers extend a sincere invitation to all stakeholders across the global energy and coal sectors to attend, exchange innovative ideas, negotiate partnerships, and jointly chart a bright new path for industrial advancement.