A delegation of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University paid a visit to Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences (KIB) on June 7. The delegation, consisting of both teachers and students, nine people in total, listened to the brief introduction on the history and development of the institute, thereafter visited the laboratories, the Germplasm Bank and botanical gardens. They fully approved the efforts and achievements made by KIB on the conservation and sustainable utilization of plant resources in Southwest China and both parts are expecting to establish friendly cooperation relationship in the future.  

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University will organize graduate student exchange activities each summer in Yunnan, encouraging their students to learn from the field and nature and enhancing their communication with students from Yunnan, China.