A Russian delegation led by Dmitry Kirillov, Head of the Federal Agency for Water Resources of Russia, visited IWHR on November 11 to discuss future cooperation in flood and drought disaster mitigation, water project management, and river ice research.
IWHR’s water cooperation with Russia dates back to 2008 when the two countries signed an agreement on the rational use and protection of transboundary waters. Since its inception, IWHR started to establish partnerships with several Russian water-related agencies, and frequently exchanged experts with Russia for joint research, surveys, and investigations. Several fixed mechanisms were established, including the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in 2014 with the Russian State Hydrological Institute to advance the two parties’ cooperation in hydrology and sediment research.
The institute will continue to play a key role in promoting practical China-Russia water collaboration, stated Vice President Ding Liuqian. He expressed hopes for enhanced water security and sustainable development for both countries.
Future cooperation will focus on cutting-edge technologies such as big data, artificial intelligence, and digital twins in the water sector. Exchange mechanisms in systematic watershed management, online platform development, ice disaster migitation, and other fields of mutual concern will be established to foster knowledge and expertise sharing.
During the technical exchange, IWHR experts delivered reports on topics including “Key Technologies and Practical Applications of Digital Twins for Flood Management,” “Drought Monitoring and Early Warning Technologies in China,” “Smart Dispatching for Hydraulic Projects,” and "River Ice Research and Technical Applications.” Experts from both countries engaged in in-depth discussions on data and model development, smart scheduling platforms, and river ice monitoring technologies.
The two sides also reached preliminary agreements on postgraduate training, personnel exchanges, and participation in international water-related events.
