During the 2021–2023 period, the Geographical Institute “Jovan Cvijić” SASA successfully implemented a bilateral scientific and technological cooperation project between the Republic of Serbia and the People’s Republic of China entitled Comparative Research on Sino-Serbia Disaster Risk Prevention and Control from the Viewpoint of Multi-Disasters.

The project was carried out in cooperation with the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing. On the Serbian side, the project activities were led by Dr Darko Vuković, with the participation of researchers from the Geographical Institute “Jovan Cvijić” SASA, in accordance with the decisions of the competent institutions of the Republic of Serbia and the governing bodies of the Institute. The project was funded by the Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation of the Republic of Serbia and the Ministry of Science of the People’s Republic of China.

The main scientific objective of the project was to provide an integrated analysis of methods and techniques for assessing multi-hazard risks in Serbia and China, identify spatial patterns of high risk, and improve preventive and management measures in the field of multi-risk governance. A distinct segment of the research also focused on hazards triggered by the COVID pandemic in the markets of Serbia and China.

As part of the project, from 25 November to 1 December 2023, the Geographical Institute “Jovan Cvijić” SASA hosted a delegation from the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The delegation included Professor Erfu Dai, the Chinese project leader, together with team members Shaohong Wu, Jiangbo Gao, and Lulu Liu. During the visit, a working meeting was held with the aim of strengthening institutional cooperation, preparing joint publications, and defining future directions of scientific collaboration.

An important part of the visit by the Chinese delegation was devoted to field research in Serbia. On that occasion, the delegation visited loess profiles in Fruška Gora National Park, mega landslides along the Belgrade–Smederevo route, as well as the geological profile of the Boljetinska River Canyon in Đerdap National Park and Geopark. During the fieldwork along the right bank of the Danube, the Chinese colleagues became acquainted with the genesis, dynamics, and consequences of the activation of several major landslides, including Cigansko Brdo, Rujište, Jugovo, and Provalija.

On the other hand, from 18 to 26 December 2023, a delegation from the Geographical Institute “Jovan Cvijić” SASA, consisting of Dr Darko Vuković, Dr Ana Milanović Pešić, Dr Marko D. Petrović, and Dr Stefan Denda, conducted a study visit to the People’s Republic of China. During their stay in Beijing, several working meetings were held with colleagues from the partner institution, where opportunities for continued cooperation through new joint projects and co-authored papers in international scientific journals were discussed. A particularly valuable part of the visit was the opportunity to learn more about the organization, history, and scientific work of the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, which further strengthened institutional ties and laid the foundation for future cooperation.

After the stay in Beijing, the research activities continued in Sichuan Province, in Chengdu and Dujiangyan. As part of the fieldwork, the Serbian delegation visited Dujiangyan, one of the most important historical irrigation and flood control systems in China, which remains in operation to this day. In addition, the team visited Wenchuan, the site of the catastrophic 2008 earthquake, which stands as one of the most significant contemporary examples of a natural disaster in China and an important case for research in the fields of risk management and post-disaster recovery.
The successful implementation of this project confirms the importance of international scientific cooperation in the fields of geographical research, natural hazard assessment, and multi-risk management. Through joint research, field activities, scientific exchange, and the preparation of publications, the Geographical Institute “Jovan Cvijić” SASA made an important contribution to strengthening cooperation between Serbia and China and to the further development of comparative research in this field.