Xishuangbanna welcomes peak firefly season

The Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has entered its best season of the year for firefly viewing.

At night, tens of thousands of fireflies light up the rainforest, their glow weaving through trees and grass to form a dreamlike "ground galaxy" in the botanical garden, located in southwest China's Yunnan Province.

Visitors said the dazzling scene adds romance to summer nights in the rainforest.

The prime viewing period runs from April to August each year.

The 10th China-France Young Leaders Program opened in Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, on Friday to boost bilateral friendship and technological exchanges.

The event, which will wrap up in Beijing on Monday, brings together more than 40 representatives from government, business, science and technology, culture, and the sports sector.

Under the theme of addressing transformation challenges together and advancing sustainable development, participants have been exploring people-to-people exchanges, the green economy, environmental conservation and technological innovation through in-depth discussions and field visits, including to the former site National Southwest Associated University, a local biotech firm and an international flower trading center in Kunming.

"We really want, together with all the young leaders, to discover the growth of the province over the years, and how you've been able to combine, actually, both economic development and sustainable development," said Nicolas Macquin, president and co-founder of France China Foundation.

Young representatives from both sides recognized the vitality of China's socioeconomic development and envisioned greater achievements for young people from both sides.

"If the French are doing something, but all alone in their corner, it's not gonna be such impactful. China is doing amazing things, especially in Kunming. So, it's interesting for us to come here to understand how China is doing, how it is going, and to try to understand your vision and our vision altogether to build something interesting and impactful," said Agathe Graviere, program manager of Fondation France-Asie.

"I think for the younger generation, it is important and imperative for us to be able to reach that common view in terms of how we should protect the environment. And most importantly, how we should set forward the actions and how to really take the responsibility in terms of leading the initiative forward," said Song Zihao, founder of Convoy Group, an international talent training and service platform in China.

The program was jointly established in 2013 by the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs and the France-China Foundation, and is held annually with the two countries alternating as host.