Prof. Ding Zhongli, vice president of CAS headed up an 8-person delegation to Malaysia and Indonesia during January 8-16. The CAS delegation visited Malaysia University of Science and Technology, Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM), Matang Mangrove Nature Reserve in Perak, Malaysia, Bogor Botanic Garden, and Universitas Udayana (Udayana University).

During their visit, CAS delegation held talks with the institutions mentioned above and showed interest in enhancing cooperation in climate change, biodiversity conservation, monitoring of regional ecology and environment.

On January 11, the CAS delegation (including two representatives of XTBG) visited Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) and aimed to explore the possibility of developing research collaborations in tropical forestry ecology, especially between XTBG and FRIM. The delegation was greeted by FRIM Forest Biodiversity Division Director Dr Saw Leng Guan and Corporate Management Unit (CCU) Head Puan Norhayati Nordin.

On January 15, the CAS delegation paid a visit to Bogor Botanic Garden and was greeted by Dr. Joko Ridho Witono, its deputy director. XTBG and Bogor Botanic Garden has had some communication and cooperation over the past decades. A Memorandum of Understanding is expected to be signed between the two sides in the near future.

The delegation was composed of senior translator Qiu Huasheng (deputy director general ofCAS Bureau of International Cooperation), deputy director of Feng Renguo of CAS Bureau of Science and Technology for Resource and Environment, Profs. Zhang Si, Wang Youzhao and Tang Danling of South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Prof. Cao Min and Ms. Li Liming of Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG).

Prof. Ding Zhongli (middle) giving brief introduction to CAS at Bogor Botanic Garden

Visiting Orchid Collection at Bogor Botanic Garden