Over 60 scientists and scholars from China and Thailand gathered together at Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG) during November 21-23 to discuss “biodiversity: secure our future” which is the general theme of the Fourth Workshop on Science and Technology Cooperation-Biodiversity.

  The workshop is aimed to continue and strengthen the cooperation on scientific research between China and Thailand, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the Thailand Research Fund (TRF).

   CAS vice president Zhang Yaping, Ms. Sompong Klaynongsruang of the Thailand Research Fund, and XTBG director Chen Jin addressed the opening ceremony. They hoped the workshop provide a platform for strengthening the existing collaboration, to share the knowledge, experiences and practices on the research and development in the areas of biodiversity conservation and bio-resources sustainable use, and to brainstorm the cooperation mechanisms for enhancing the new cooperative research projects.

  Prof. Somsak Panha of Chulalongkorn University and Prof. Ma Keping from Institute of Botany were invited as keynote speakers at the plenary session.

  The scientists had deep discussion and communication on biodiversity monitoring and documentation; agro-biodiversity and environmental friendly agriculture; utilization of biodiversity compounds from biodiversity; and biodiversity conservation at Anthropocene era.

   36 oral presentations were made at the sessions.

   On November 24, the scientists visited the Bubeng station of the Xishuangbanna Tropical Rainforest Ecosystem Station and experienced the forest canopy crane. They also visited the Central Laboratory within the garden.

The opening ceremony

Plenary and session presentations

Scientists visit the forest canopy crane and Central Laboratory

Representatives pose a photo