China and France to protect freshwater lake

A scientific laboratory will be set up to protect the ecological environment of China's largest freshwater lake. The plan for the laboratory was announced Tuesday at a two-day China-France seminar on the sustainable development of Poyang Lake in Nanchang, capital of east China's Jiangxi Province, where the lake is located. The joint scientific laboratory will be devoted to hydrological, biological and ecological research of the lake, according to Dai Nianhua, vice director of Poyang Lake Research Center of Jiangxi Academy of Social Sciences. "Developed countries are trying to remedy and take measures after polluting the environment," he said. "We can learn lessons and advance experiences during our cooperation with France." Poyang Lake has attracted ecologists' attention since 2000. It is known for its wetland ecosystems and being a key bird habitat in Asia. The seminar was attended by nearly 100 ecological and environmental experts from the two countries. They carried out field surveys at the lake and exchanged ideas. Catherine Bastien-Ventura, director of an ecological project between the two countries said the lake is resource-rich and worth researching. "We should cooperate more to resolve the lake's current problems and promote sustainable development of it," she said.