A few days ago, at the International Rubber Research and Development Committee (IRRDB) 2023 International Rubber Conference held in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, experts from the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences (hereinafter referred to as the "Chinese Thermal Academy") Rubber Institute made a report, introduced the demonstration of independent research and development of relevant technologies in IRRDB member states, and gave China's plan. Promote deeper cooperation among member states in the technical fields of natural rubber seedling rearing, harvesting and processing.

The theme of the conference is "Natural Rubber in a 'carbon neutral' world: Challenges and Opportunities". China is the world's first natural rubber consumer and the first rubber products manufacturer, in the genetic breeding, cultivation technology, collecting technology and processing technology in the whole industrial chain are at the leading level. China aims to achieve carbon peak by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060. By the end of 2022, the total output of natural rubber in the world was 14.344,000 tons, and the consumption was 14.802,000 tons. While meeting the production needs, rubber trees will fix 250 tons of carbon during the 20-30 years of planting and growth, which is one of the important pillars of "carbon neutrality".

The Rubber Institute of the Chinese Academy of Thermal Sciences, with the long-term support of the Lancang-Mekong Agricultural Cooperation Center, has implemented a demonstration project on rubber cultivation and processing in Lancang-Mekong countries, comprehensively combing the development of the natural rubber industry chain, policies and regulations, superior technologies, trade and investment in the Lancang-Mekong region, and promoting cooperation in the rubber industry among Lancang-Mekong countries. In the next step, the Rubber Institute of the Chinese Academy of Thermal Sciences will cooperate with the Rubber Bureau of Thailand to build a rubber quality and efficiency technology demonstration base in Thailand, continue to improve the efficiency and development level of the natural rubber industry, and make new contributions to the natural rubber industry in the Lancang-Mekong countries to alleviate poverty and increase carbon sink income.

At the meeting, the experts also discussed the outlook of the tire industry, how climate change and human factors can change the future vision of the natural rubber world, and the macroeconomic and rubber trends in 2023, and offered suggestions for the development of the natural rubber industry. Researchers from China, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, France, Cote d 'Ivoire, Nigeria and other countries attended the meeting.