On March 18, Mr. Meeuwes Brouwer, Chief Phytosanitary Officer of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature of the Netherlands, and five other delegates, visited the Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Prof. YANG Xiaozeng, Chief of Division of Science & Technology, extended a welcome to the delegation, noting that the Netherlands possesses extensive expertise and advanced technologies in many fields, particularly modern agriculture. He expressed hope for future collaboration between both sides in areas such as agriculture and biodiversity. The IBCAS International Cooperation Officer provided an overview of the institute, its research focus, and specifically highlighted the institute's progress in ex-situ conservation. Mr. Meeuwes Brouwer remarked that the institute has a comprehensive and well-structured layout in plant science disciplines and research areas. He expressed hope that this visit would help explore further opportunities for collaboration in plant science research and biodiversity.

During the meeting, researchers and the delegation engaged in discussions on topics such as the current state of plant taxonomy research, how scientific research can support government agencies (e.g., customs), and the integration of plant diversity research with public education. After the meeting, Mr. Meeuwes Brouwer and his delegation toured the exhibition greenhouse.

The visit fostered mutual communication and understanding, creating opportunities for future international collaboration in related fields.