On February 24, Vice Minister Chen Xiaoya of Science and Technology led a delegation to visit XTBG. Her entourage included officials from the Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Finance, and local governmental departments.

In the company of Dr. Chen Jin, Mr. Li Hongwei and other XTBG leaders, Chen Xiaoya visited the living collections, cultivation base of Inca Peanut (Plukenetia volubilis), platform facilities of the Xishuangbanna Tropical Rainforest Ecosystem Station, and the Central Laboratory. At those stops, Chen Xiaoya listened to the introduction given by the staff and asked about the relevant operating principle.

After the visit, Chen Xiaoya had a meeting with some XTBG researchers. At the meeting, Dr. Chen Jin, director of XTBG, gave a speech concerning the general planning of Innovation 2020 and development in the 12th 5-year period. He briefed the measures taken to develop XTBG into a first –class botanical garden and the achievements made over the past years.

Dr. Cao Min, deputy director of XTBG, presented a report on the preliminary plan for the construction of Yunnan National Biodiversity Monitoring Network. He reported on the overview, significance, necessity, provided facilities, construction scheme, operation and management mechanism, etc.

After the reports, in the speech delivered by Chen Xiaoya, she said that XTBG had been playing an important role in regional biodiversity conservation, species preservation, and science popularization. Chen Xiaoya hoped that the biodiversity monitoring network will contribute more to the studies on ecosystem changes, maintaining mechanism of biodiversity and global change.

Dr. Chen Jin introduces Inca Peanut (Plukenetia volubilis) to Ms.Chen Xiaoya (central)

At the Xishuangbanna Tropical Rainforest Ecosystem Station