US and Chinese botanical societies sign cooperation initiative
The Botanical Society of China and the Botanical Society of America have agreed to deepen exchanges, joint research and resource sharing in plant science. The initiative was signed at a conference in Shandong, where experts discussed conservation, biotechnology, climate change and an international plant megaproject amid wider geopolitical strains.
The botanical societies of the United States and China have signed an initiative aimed at expanding cooperation in plant science and supporting scientific collaboration on global challenges. The agreement between the Botanical Society of China and the Botanical Society of America was signed during a Sino-American botany conference held from September 19 to 23 in Taian, Shandong province. Hundreds of experts from institutions in both countries attended, according to the Botanical Society of China.
The societies said plant science was central to addressing ecological problems, particularly as climate change intensifies. They called for open academic exchange and the movement of scientific knowledge, data, methods and talent across borders. The initiative proposes stronger arrangements for academic exchanges, joint research and the sharing of resources.
It also calls for broader work on fundamental biological processes, with the stated aim of supporting conservation and the sustainable production of food, fuels, medicines and industrial materials. Conference discussions covered conservation, plant biotechnology, climate change and an international plant megaproject, the China Science Daily reported. The societies also proposed standards and frameworks for the responsible development of areas including synthetic biology and biotechnology.
Zhong Kang, president of the Chinese Botanical Society, described deeper strategic cooperation as a practical way for the societies to focus on the field’s long-term development, according to the report. The two organisations said international collaboration should remain an “uninterrupted bridge” for scientific progress. The meeting took place before a planned visit to Washington by Chinese President Xi Jinping and a summit with US President Donald Trump.
The source material says geopolitical tensions and anti-China initiatives have damaged wider scientific cooperation, but botanists have continued exchanges, including specimen sharing and joint research. It also notes earlier Sino-American botanical expeditions and longstanding institutional links.
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