President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang sent their congratulations to the 19th International Botanical Congress, which held its opening ceremony on July 24 in Shenzhen.

President Xi said the conference plays an important role in promoting global plant scientific research, and he hoped all participating experts and scholars will strengthen exchanges to preserve biodiversity and green development.

China sticks to innovative, green, open, and sharing growth, and is willing to work with all nations to protect the only home of mankind, he added.

Premier Li said that the congress is the highest level of international conference in the fields related to plant sciences, and plays an important role in plant sciences’ development.

As China is one of the countries with the highest plant diversity, the Chinese people admire nature and value utilization and protection of plant resources.

With resource conservation and environmental protection as a fundamental national strategy, the Chinese government values international cooperation in plant science research, and has made substantial progress in key areas.

The Premier said he hoped the congress could strengthen communications and build consensus, to promote plant sciences’ development, protect biodiversity and build a green earth.

First held in 1900, the congress is the largest international conference in the field.