Interview: Global conservation leader deems China "a good partner" in protecting various species

CALI, Colombia, Oct. 25 (Xinhua) -- China has made great efforts in protecting various species in recent years and "is always a good partner," a global wildlife conservation leader has said.

Susan Lieberman, vice president of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) made the remarks in a recent interview on the sidelines of the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (COP16), which runs from Oct. 21 to Nov. 1 on the theme of "Peace with Nature."

Lieberman, who oversees international policy at the WCS, said that the global organization has worked closely with China for a long time on issues such as tiger habitats and the fight against wildlife trafficking and illegal trade.

China has also made great efforts to establish national parks, which require "a lot of work" given China's size and biodiversity, she said.

The organization has a good collaboration with China, she said, adding that it helps China conserve its biological diversity through various programs.

"Controlling wildlife trafficking is hard work," Lieberman said, depicting China as "doing a great job" by adopting strict measures against it.

Lieberman also noted that China's leadership during COP15 made a global impact through the Kunming-Montreal Framework for Biological Diversity (2022).

She said that COP16 in Colombia is particularly significant as it marks the first time since adoption of the framework that the governments and conservation organizations have gathered to assess the planet's biodiversity.

Lieberman expressed optimism for future collaborations with China in the fight against illegal wildlife trade and scientific cooperation.

Founded in 1895, the WCS focuses on conserving the world's largest natural environments in priority regions that are home to about 50 percent of the planet's biological diversity. ■