Prof. Stéphane Blanc, director of the Institute of Ecology and Environment (INEE) of the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), headed up a delegation to Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG) from March 14 to 16. The visit was to foster academic exchanges in the fields of biodiversity and ecology.

At the discussion meeting, researchers from both sides talked about institutional development strategies, research frameworks, and progress in international collaboration. They had in-depth discussions on biodiversity conservation, ecological monitoring, species interactions, human-wildlife conflict, and environmental education.

Drawing on XTBG’s long-term research in areas such as the co-evolution of figs and fig wasps and Asian elephant conservation, as well as the French team’s expertise in long-term ecological monitoring through projects like SEE-LIFE, both sides acknowledged the scientific importance of deepening Sino-French collaborative research in ecology and biodiversity.

The two sides may cooperate in development of joint research projects, mutual visits and training for early-career researchers, and the integrated application of long-term monitoring data.

At the discussion meeting.

Participants pose a group photo.