FABI was honoured to host a visit by four members of the Office of Science and Technology of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Republic of South Africa on 21 November. The group, led by the Minister-Counsellor of the Science and Technology Section, Mr Shen Long, also included First Secretary of the Science and Technology Section, Dr Li Yan, Mr Xie Wei, Second Secretary of the Science and Technology Section, and Dr Pan Xu Second Secretary of the Science and Technology Section. The group was welcomed by FABI Director, Prof. Bernard Slippers who gave an overview of the research conducted at the Institute over the past 25 years and highlighting the close relationship the Institute has had with China since 2014 through the RIFT-FABI Tree Protection Programme (RFTPP). This is a cooperative venture programme established between the Research Institute of Fast-growing Trees (RIFT) of the Chinese Academy of Forestry in China, and FABI. Joining Prof. Slippers were several members of the FABI Mancom including FABI Deputy Director, Prof. Fanus Venter, Prof. Brenda Wingfield, Prof. Sanushka Naidoo, Prof. Almuth Hammerbacher, Prof. Tuan Duong, Prof. Cobus Visagie, Dr Nicky Creux, Dr Neriman Yilmaz, Dr David Read, Dr Gudrun Dittrich-Schröder as well as PhD candidate WenWen Li. The group discussed possible future opportunities, especially in biotechnology, to broaden the cooperation between China and FABI beyond the current forestry focus. The group was also given a tour of the Institute to see firsthand the research being conducted at the Institute.