The conservation of snow leopards at a national nature reserve in northwest China's Qinghai Province in recent years has boosted the protection of the whole ecological system in the region.
Snow leopard is a feline living in the highest altitude and can withstand a temperature of minus 40 degrees Celsius. It boasts excellent jumping and climbing abilities and can move freely on steep cliffs. All these advantages have established their status as a flagship species in the Qilian Mountain and even the entire Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. "The reason why snow leopards are our flagship species in Qilian Mountain National Nature Reserve is that, first, they are very rare. The global snow leopard population is less than 10,000, with only some 4,500 in China, of which some 1,200 in Qinghai Province. Second, they are a typical species of the alpine ecosystem. Third, snow leopards boast a strong ability to survive in the wild and have a high cultural value. It is hailed as the 'king of the snow mountains'," said Tsering Dorje, director of Qilian Mountain National Nature Reserve Administration in Qinghai. As the star species of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, snow leopards also play the role of umbrella species. Protecting the snow leopards and their habitats also effectively protects a variety of natural resources in the same ecosystem at the same time. "This area in Qinghai, a candidate region for the Qilian Mountain National Nature Reserve, is an important habitat for snow leopards and a haven from climate change. In 2018, we captured on camera a precious footage of five snow leopards at the same time. Our latest background survey data shows that there are more than 250 snow leopards living in this area of Qinghai. At the same time, the region is the richest, most unique and most concentrated area of biodiversity among regions at the same latitude and at high altitudes. At present, we have discovered 288 kinds of vertebrates, 512 kinds of wild invertebrates and 642 types of higher plants. Protecting the snow leopards also protects the rare and endangered wild animals and plants such as jackal, white-lipped deer, Szechenyi's monal-partridge, pomatosace, and Saussurea medusa in Qilian Mountain. The biodiversity in this area of Qinghai has benefited from protecting snow leopards," said Tsering.
Snow leopards protection in northwest China promotes ecology conservation
As the 2024 APEC gathering commences in Lima, Peru, China's deepening partnerships with Latin American nations - bolstered by trade, investment, and the Belt and Road initiative - serves as a key example of the country's commitment to fostering inclusive economic cooperation across the Asia-Pacific region.
Under the overarching theme of "Empower. Include. Grow," APEC Peru 2024 which is running from Nov. 10-16, will bring leaders of its 21 member economies together to set the agenda for the Asia-Pacific region, with trade and investment for inclusive and interconnected growth beiamong the priority areas.
At the APEC media center next to the meeting's main venue, booths promoting new technologies and sustainable development are set up. Organizers say Peru is seeking opportunities to connect the largest markets and insert Peruvian companies in regional and global value chains.
In an opinion article posted on the website of the China Global Television Network (CGTN) last weekend, Peru's Ambassador to China Marco Balarezo wrote that exports to APEC economies represented 68.5 percent of Peru's total international transactions in 2023, and that the Asia-Pacific provides a critical region of opportunities and incorporation in the regional and global supply chains.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend this year's APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting and pay a state visit to Peru from Wednesday to Sunday, with this being his sixth visit to Latin America since 2013.
An updated free trade agreement (FTA) between Peru and China, set to be signed during President Xi's visit, is another example of how APEC 2024 will bolster the economy, according to Ambassador Balarezo.
China is Latin America's second-largest trading partner and main source of investment, as well as the top trading partner for many countries in the region including Peru. It has signed Free Trade Agreements with five Latin American economies and established high-quality Belt and Road cooperation with 22 Latin American and Caribbean countries. The cooperation has grown beyond traditional areas like trade, finance, and infrastructure to include newer fields such as energy, the digital economy, and aerospace.
One of the flagship cooperative projects, the China-built Chancay Megaport north of Lima, set to become fully operational shortly after the APEC meeting, is establishing Peru as a gateway for South American trade to Asian markets. Beyond that, Balarezo said Peru invites all APEC enterprises to invest in this near-term endeavor.
Since it started over 30 years ago, APEC has turned into a powerful driver of economic growth and one of the most important forums in the Asia-Pacific region. With 21 member economies, APEC represents around 62 percent of the world's GDP and nearly half of global trade.
APEC is the first regional economic cooperation organization that China joined back in 1991. Experts believe China has accelerated the pace of opening up through APEC cooperation and has provided huge opportunities for economic and trade development in the Asia-Pacific region.
Strengthened China-Latin America ties epitomize APEC's push for inclusive economic cooperation
