On December 9, Tao Jun, deputy director of Liaoning Provincial Department of Science and Technology, visited the Institute of Applied Ecology (IAE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). 

Tao Jun first praised the outstanding achievements of IAE in its long history of nearly 70 years and its major contribution to the local development of Liaoning. He said that in order to meet the national strategic needs on the conservation and utilization of black soil, carbon peaking and carbon neutrality,as well as green development, IAE and Liaoning Provincial Department of Science and Technology should give full play to their own advantages and strengthen cooperation for the scientific and technological development of Liaoning Province.

Zhu Jiaojun, on behalf of IAE, extended a warm welcome to the visitors, and expressed heartfelt thanks to Liaoning Provincial Department of Science and Technology for its long-term support. He said that IAE is a non-profit research institute that has long been committed to the research of degraded ecosystem restoration and reconstruction, ecological security and food security, black soil conservation and utilization, pollution control and rehabilitation, and low-carbon green development. He pointed out that in the new historical development period, IAE will do more in black soil and carbon research, and will strive to establish a National Key Laboratory with the support of Liaoning Provincial Department of Science and Technology.

Then, Wang Xugao, head of the Science and Technology Division of IAE, reported the necessity and latest progress of the national key laboratory application. Researchers Guo Shuhai, Wang Zhengwen and Zhang Lili gave talks on wetland conservation and restoration at Liaohe Estuary, desertification prevention and control in Northwest Liaoning, and black soil conservation and utilization in Liaoning, respectively. The visitors and IAE experts had a heated discussion on these reports and on the development of future cooperation between the two sides.

Finally, Zhuo Junchen, deputy director of IAE, concluded that the development of IAE over the past years was not able to be achieved without the support and help of Liaoning Provincial Science and Technology Department. The two sides will strengthen communication and will work together to meet the strategic needs of Liaoning province and the nation (e.g., carbon peaking & carbon neutrality, and black soil conservation & utilization).