China and France unveil joint endeavor to protect national parks

China and France have agreed to promote cooperation between China's Giant Panda National Park and the Pyrenees National Park in France. Areas of cooperation are set to include biodiversity monitoring, flagship species protection, community co-management, education, and personnel training.

Established in 2021, the Giant Panda National Park spans over 27,000 square kilometers (10,425 square miles), covering the provinces of Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu. More than 1,300 wild pandas inhabit the area.

The vast park is also home to many other rare animals, including Sichuan golden snub-nosed monkeys, snow leopards and Oriental storks.

Situated on the border of France and Spain along the Pyrenees Mountains, the Pyrenees National Park was founded in 1967 as an undisturbed natural haven for wildlife and plants. Endangered species within the park include the bearded vulture or lammergeier, the Pyrenean desman, the Pyrenean chamois, and the capercaillie.

The eastern part of the national park is in the French part of the Pyrenees - Mont Perdu World Heritage Site, which straddles the border between France and Spain.