On December 7, the 2022 Annual Conference of China's UNESCO Global Geoparks opened in Xiangxi, Hunan Province. The annual meeting was guided by the Department of Nature Reserves of the State Forestry and Grassland Administration, the Forestry Bureau of Hunan Province and the People's Government of Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture, and co-organized by the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, the National Geoparks Network Centre, the Global Geoparks Network Office and Xiangxi UGGp, with the annual meeting being held for the first time in an online + offline form.

Tianzhushan UGGp, together with 41 Global Geoparks and 6 candidates, representatives from forestry and grassland departments of relevant provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government) gathered online to make discussions, share their experiences and work together for the sustainable development of the Global Geoparks. Ms. Yuan Xiaohong, second-level inspector of the Department of Nature Reserve Management of the State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Ms. Wang Min, deputy director of the Geoheritage Research Office of the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, on behalf of Mr. Ma Yan, vice president of the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, and Mr. Jin Xiaochi, vice chairman of the Executive Board of GGN, delivered online speeches. Mr. Zhang Jianping, a member of the Executive Board of GGN and a professor from China University of Geosciences, and Mr. Zhang Zhiguang, a senior engineer from the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences and an field evaluator of GGN, gave keynote reports online. The heads of nine Geoparks including Xiangxi and Danxiashan also made reports.

At the annual meeting, Tianzhushan UGGp studied online the key points of evaluation and revalidation work of UNESCO Global Geoparks, learnt the situation in recent years, and learned advanced management and construction experience shared by geoparks.

At the closing ceremony, Mr. Ma Yan, Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, announced that Yimengshan UGGp be the host of the 2023 Annual Conference of China's UNESCO Global Geoparks, and Mr. Long Xiaohua, Governor of Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture, handed over the flag to Yimengshan UGGp.