The Xianju Biodiversity Museum has opened its doors to the public in Zhejiang Province. It is jointly developed by China and France, and is the first eco-museum in the province, focusing on preserving local natural heritage. Yang Shaopeng reports.

The museum is located in the Shenxianju Tourism Resort with an exhibition space covering 3,000 square metres. On display – an impressive collection of over 600 mineral, plant and animal specimens – reflecting the region's natural diversity.

LIU CHAN Director, Xianju Biodiversity Museum "This exhibition demonstrates Xianju's special geological landscape of a rhyolitic volcanic rocks. The unique geological landscape shaped the unique ecosystem, and we see this richness in the biodiversity resources."

Walking into the museum, visitors will learn about how the volcanic landscape was formed, as well as the rich local flora, fauna and microbial life, in particular, the local herbs and large fungi.

YU ZHUOHANG Student "The most impressive thing is the sound of the turtledove, which is not like any sound of birds we usually hear. I find it quite novel."

DING ZIYI Student "I feel like I'm in the wild here. (The demonstration is ) very dynamic and interactive."

Biodiversity protection is an important aspect of cooperation between China and France, particularly in preserving rural areas. Xianju is among 32 areas across China prioritised by the government for biodiversity conservation.

ARTHUR HONORÉ Chief Deputy Representative, French Development Agency "We have introduced cutting-edge French and Chinese technology and expertise, and as you can see, the Xianju Biodiversity Museum offers visitors a very unique experience. The construction of the museum is at high standard."

The institution was made possible with the help of loans from the French Development Agency, and shared expertise in running national parks in France.

BERTRAND LORTHOLARY Ambassador of France "We support the work of biodiversity conservation in China. In biodiversity protection, France and China have a common goal and a common will. We both hope to make efforts for this goal which contributes to the whole planet, our common home."

Editor: Zhong Xinyi