According to the Chinese Mountaineering Association: The 21st National Trails Conference and the 1st International Trails Symposium were recently held in the United States. The event brought together nearly 500 participants from over 100 professional organizations across more than 10 countries. The Chinese Mountaineering Association, as the leading advocate for the development of hiking trails in China, was invited to attend for the first time and was awarded the “Fitness Trails Award.” This marks the first time the award has been presented to an organization or institution outside the United States.
To learn from international best practices in trail development and to better advance trail construction in China, the Chinese Mountaineering Association organized a delegation to participate in the symposium. Nie Jian delivered a keynote speech on behalf of Beijing Shan Yue Mei Tu Trail Design and Construction Company, focusing on the current status and design/construction standards of China’s national trails under the guidance of the Chinese Mountaineering Association. Many international peers were amazed by the speed of development and construction of China’s national trails and spoke highly of the progress.
The International Trails Symposium is the largest, most influential, and most authoritative professional trail conference in the world. Established in 1971 and organized by the American Trails Society, it has been held biennially for over 40 years.
A spokesperson for the Chinese Mountaineering Association stated: Winning an award at this conference represents international recognition of China’s national trails and marks a milestone and new starting point in their development.