From November 1st to 3rd, the 11^th Asia-Pacific International Conference on Ethnobotany and Ethnopharmacology was held at Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (ZCMU), Binwen campus. The conference was co-hosted by the Ethnobotany Branch of the Botanical Society of China (BSC) and ZCMU, and jointly organized by the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of ZCMU and CONBA Chinese Medicine School of ZCMU. The event brought together over 100 experts, young scholars, and graduate student representatives in the fields of ethnobotany and ethnopharmacology from countries across the Asia-Pacific region, including China, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Laos, Thailand, Indonesia, and Bangladesh. The theme of this conference was “New Advances in the Study of Edible and Medicinal Plants under the Belt and Road Initiative”.

Ma Chongyang, a member of the ZCMU Party Committee and director of the Publicity Department, detailed the development of ZCMU to the attending representatives during the speech.

Researcher Yang Yongping, the chairman of the Ethnobotany Branch of BSC and the director of Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), delivered a speech.

Zeng Xiaofei, the director of the Zhejiang Research Center for Chinese Medicine Development at the Health Commission of Zhejiang Province, addressed the audience.

After the opening ceremony, 14 experts delivered keynote speeches, including Researcher Pan Borong from the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, CAS, Professor Long Chunlin, Vice Chairman of the Ethnobotany Branch of BSC and from Minzu University of China, Professor Deok-Chun Yang from Kyung Hee University in South Korea, Professor Thongsavanh Sengkongdala from the Traditional Medicine Research Institute of the Ministry of Health in Laos, Professor Boon Khai Teoh from the Tai E Traditional and Complementary Medical Center in Malaysia, Professor Toshiaki Makino from Nagoya City University in Japan, Associate Professor Sirisa-ard Panee from Chiang Mai University in Thailand, Professor Chiah Shean Teo from UCSI University in Malaysia, Associate Professor Kian Keong Te from the Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman in Malaysia, Senior Engineer Hu Jiangning, General Manager of the Drug Development Center at Zhejiang Conba Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Professor Wawan Sujarwo from the National Research and Innovation Agency of Indonesia, Professor Fardous Mohammad Safiul Azam from Neijiang Normal University, Associate Professor Wanida Caichompoo from Mahasarakham University in Thailand, and Professor Qin Luping, Dean of the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of ZCMU.

During the conference, the 12^th Council Meeting of the Ethnobotany Branch of BSC was also convened. The meeting discussed the establishment of the Youth Committee, the continuation and development direction of the discipline’s name, the preparation for the next conference, and the establishment of honorary directors and members, among other related matters. The conference also organized a forum for young scholars, where 12 young scholars from the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of ZCMU delivered keynote speeches. Attending experts provided feedback and engaged in discussions.