The botanical societies of the United States and China have formalized a new cooperation initiative aimed at strengthening scientific collaboration in plant science to address global challenges. The agreement was signed during a Sino-American botany conference held from September 19 to 23 in Taian, located in eastern Shandong province, bringing together hundreds of experts from institutions in both countries.
The conference sought to deepen botanical exchanges and create an international platform fostering interdisciplinary integration within plant science. Key topics discussed included conservation, plant biotechnology, climate change, and an international plant megaproject designed to enhance collaborative research efforts.
The Botanical Society of China and the Botanical Society of America jointly emphasized the critical role of plant science in tackling ecological issues intensified by climate change. In their statements, the societies underscored the importance of open academic communication to facilitate the flow of talent, data, insights, and methodologies across borders. They committed to maintaining international cooperation as a continuous bridge for progress, aiming to enhance mechanisms for academic exchanges, joint research, and resource sharing.
This renewed collaboration comes ahead of President Xi Jinping’s visit to Washington and a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, reflecting a broader context of Sino-American engagement. Despite challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and strained U.S.-China relations, cooperation between botanical communities has persisted through specimen sharing and joint research, according to Dorinda Elliott, executive director of the Harvard China Fund.
Historical ties between the two countries in plant science date back to 1972, when then-President Richard Nixon brought a redwood sequoia sapling to China during a visit that marked a thaw in relations. The sapling remains alive at the Hangzhou Botanical Garden. In 1978, an American botanical delegation visited China to conduct exchanges and set the stage for ongoing collaboration, which continued with the first Sino-American botanical expedition in 1980 resulting in thousands of plant samples being collected and shared globally.
Recent data highlight China’s growing prominence in plant biology research. The 2026 Nature Index ranks the Chinese Academy of Sciences as the top institution in the field, with Chinese organizations occupying most of the top 10 positions. China surpassed the United States in the biological sciences ranking last year, though the U.S. remains a leading contributor in the discipline.
Prominent researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Peking University, Fudan University, Yale University, Harvard University, and the University of British Columbia participated as plenary and keynote speakers at the conference, exemplifying the high-level academic engagement between the two nations.