Erik Solheim: Moutai's High Quality Depends On Environmental Protection Of The Chishui River
Drawing on the traditional Chinese brewing wisdom of“harmony between humanity and nature” along the banks of the Chishui River, the forum brought together global liquor industry leaders, cultural figures and industry experts to explore how the sector can uphold its traditions while pursuing sustainable development.
Erik Solheim, President of the EU-Asia Centre and former United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, spoke in an interview at the 2026 Chishui River Forum. He said environmental protection and economic development were not mutually exclusive, and the Chishui River had already demonstrated this.
Cleaning up and protecting the Chishui River has brought tremendous benefits to local communities, improving people's health, living conditions and overall well-being. At the same time, the improved environment has attracted large numbers of tourists, boosting the local economy, he said.
Solheim noted that Guizhou, unlike China's major first-tier cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, is a relatively remote province. Despite its mountainous terrain, Guizhou has made tremendous progress in infrastructure development and poverty alleviation. Importantly, it has achieved this progress without sacrificing the environment.
On the one hand, environmental restoration has created jobs; on the other, tourism has generated additional employment opportunities. Products such as Moutai are built on Guizhou's rich green natural resources, and their development has also created substantial employment and prosperity, he said.
Solheim believes that the lesson the Chishui River's environmental governance offers to other parts of the world, including France and Italy, is a simple one:“Green is gold. Going green is not a problem, but an opportunity.”
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