IAPT was established at the Seventh International Botanical Congress which was held in Stockholm, Sweden. It aims at promoting the development of the world's plant taxonomy, encouraging researchers and institutions in this field to communicate and collaborate in a wide range. Since its foundation, the Society has been advocating the plants (including fungi) species diversity, species identification, evolution and naming, and given a great contribution to the development of studies of plant systematics. The new IAPT councile will function from 2011 to 2017.

Dr. Zhang is the first person in China Mainland to be the councilor, and he is also the only one from Asian. Dr. Zhang also serves as a member of the Momenclature Committee for Vascular Plants.

Learn more information about IAPT, please see: http://www.botanik.univie.ac.at/iapt/index_layer.php