On December 4, a symposium on China-UK nature conservation and development cooperation was held in Chengdu. Representatives from both countries convened at Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding to review the fruitful outcomes of past cooperation and chart a new blueprint for “on-site cooperation” with a forward-looking perspective.

 

 

Attendees included Melinda Bohannon, Director General Global Issues of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office of the UK; Anthony Preston, Consul General of the UK in Chongqing; and representatives of Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Park-City Development and Management, the Foreign Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Chengdu Municipality, Chengdu Branch of the Giant Panda National Park Administration, and Chengdu Botanical Garden.

 

During the symposium, Liu Jiacong, Secretary of the Leading CPC Members’ Group and Director General of Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Park-City Development and Management, provided a comprehensive review of the steady advancement of China-UK cooperation. Over the past three years, the two sides have continuously deepened exchanges in biodiversity conservation:

 

Botanical garden cooperation: Chengdu Botanical Garden has signed a five-year memorandum of cooperation with the world-renowned Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and has carried out in-depth seminars with the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.

 

Melinda Bohannon, Director General Global Issues of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office of the UK, spoke highly of Sichuan’s ecological conservation practices and shared the extensive expertise of British national parks in balancing ecological conservation with public participation and in developing sustainable outdoor industries.

 

Chengdu Branch of the Giant Panda National Park Administration noted that the UK’s experience in community engagement, tourism management systems, and other areas offers valuable insights into park development. It expressed its intention to continue deepening cooperation to highlight the unique charm of Chengdu as “A Park City Blessed with Snow Mountains and National Parks at Doorstep”.

 

Chengdu Botanical Garden focused on plant conservation and expressed its expectation to strengthen cooperation with leading UK institutions in germplasm resource exchange, specialized plant research, and other areas in support of the development of Chengdu National Botanical Garden (candidate).

 

A representative of British national parks and the founder of Kendal China proposed specific cooperation ideas regarding ecotourism development and youth nature education from the perspectives of management practices and non-governmental engagement, respectively.

 

During the open discussion session, “on-site cooperation” emerged as a core keyword. Moving beyond exchanges of views, both sides actively explored ways to translate consensus into concrete actions and proposed a number of forward-looking initiatives, including China-UK youth nature research camps, joint ecological photographyexhibitions, and matchmaking sessions for specific scientific research projects.

 

 

From national parks to botanical gardens, and from government departments to civil institutions, China and the UK are advancing together along the transnational path of nature conservation. The symposium serves as a new bridge, one anchored by the iconic giant panda and grounded in a common ecological vision. It marksa shift in bilateral cooperation from “exchanges and mutual learning” to a new stage of “pragmatic actions” and will inject stronger momentum into global biodiversity conservation efforts.

 

Edited by Zhang Yuanlin

Source: Chengdu Discovery