To research the current development status of the Chinese sericulture and silk industry, strengthen visits and interactions among sericulture and silk enterprises and organizations of various countries, and promote exchanges and cooperation between International Silk Union (ISU) and International Sericultural Commission (ISC), from May 26 to June 3, 2024, ISC Secretary-General Periyasamy Sivakumar, Executive Director Dileep Kumar R, Project Coordinator Padmanav Nayak and representatives from sericulture enterprises and institutions of ISC member countries including India, Romania, Japan, Uganda, Thailand, Madagascar, and Bangladesh, a total of 17 persons, visit ISU and explore the Chinese silk industry. They are warmly received by ISU Chairman Guoqiang Zhang and Secretary-General Rick Li, with ISU Deputy Secretary-General Xing'er Bian and Secretary Pepper Liu accompanying them throughout the visit.

On May 27, ISU Chairman Zhang Guoqiang holds an exchange meeting with ISC Secretary-General Periyasamy Sivakumar. Chairman Zhang extends the sincere welcome to Secretary-General Sivakumar and the delegation, introduces the latest developments of ISU, the main work in organizing international conferences, conducting industrial research, and promoting sustainable silk practices. He also introduces the development history of the chairman unit, Cathaya Group, its whole silk and textile industrial chain layout and strategic planning. Secretary-General Sivakumar expresses gratitude for the well-arranged investigation agenda by ISU secretariat. Executive Director Dileep Kumar R shares the historical evolution of ISC and the sericulture industry technical training and consulting services carried out in member countries. Representatives from each ISC member country also introduce the current development status and challenges of their sericulture industries. During the meeting, both parties conduct in-depth discussions on the development trends, technological innovations, market expansion, and international cooperation of the global sericulture and silk industry. The participants unanimously agree on the need to strengthen the exchanges and resource sharing between ISU and ISC, to achieve global cooperation and win-win outcomes in the silk industry through thetwo important international platforms, and to further enhance the international competitiveness and influence of the silk industry.

On May 28, taking advantage of this investigation opportunity, ISC holds an executive committee meeting at the Jingwei Tiandi Creative Industry Park in Hangzhou. ISC Secretary-General Periyasamy Sivakumar, Executive Director Dileep Kumar R, Project Coordinator Padmanav Nayak, and representatives from the 7 member countries attend the meeting. ISU Chairman Zhang Guoqiang, Chairman Ye Wen of Hangzhou Textile Machinery Group Co., Ltd., Associate Professor Xu Jianmei of College of Textile and Clothing Engineering of Soochow University, and General Manager Wang Jiajie of Hangzhou Hualong Textile Machinery Co., Ltd., etc. are invited to participate as observers. The meeting primarily discusses the ISC's 2023 work progress, the 2024 work plan, and industrial development issues of concern to member countries.

During the investigation, ISU secretariat accompanies the ISC delegation to visit various institutions and enterprises, including Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, China National Silk Museum, Sericulture & Tea Research Institute of Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Yayun Sericulture Base of Cathaya Group, Tongxiang Dayang Silk Co., Ltd., Hangzhou Textile Machinery Group Co., Ltd., Shengzhou Mulsun Modern Cocoon Industry Co., Ltd., Sichuan Nanchong Silkworm Research Co., Ltd., Xichong Yixing Youlin Sericulture Cooperative and Wujiang Dingsheng Silk Co., Ltd. They comprehensively understand the current Chinese silk industry status and trends in sericulture and silk talent cultivation, traditional silk history and culture, mulberry silkworm variety development and utilization, organic sericulture production integrated with cultural tourism, silk reeling equipment production and application, industrilized silkworm breeding with artificial diet in all instars, intelligent sericulture equipment research and application, and the culture and weaving techniques of Song Brocade.

ISU and ISC are two crucial international organizations, sharing the common goals in the globalization of the sericulture and silk industry. As early as 2021, they signed a memorandum of understanding, aiming to conduct in-depth exchanges and cooperation in areas such as sericulture and silk talent training, information exchange and resource sharing, project cooperation research, and mutual visits in related fields. This is to make positive contributions to the healthy, stable, and sustainable development of the international sericulture and silk industry. The current investigation of the Chinese silk industry is a just the testament to their efforts to fulfill the MoU's objectives, establishing closer cooperative relationships and working together with silk industry colleagues from various countries to promote the prosperity and development of the global silk industry.

International Silk Union(ISU)
ISU is the only international silk NGO officially included by the Union of International Associations (UlA) as the Universal Membership Organization(Type B). It was established in October, 2015. The secretariat is located in Hangzhou, China. There are 122 members from 35 countries and regions including China, ltaly, France, Switzerland, Brazil, Poland, Japan, Turkiye, Thailand, India, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Indonesia, Singapore, the United States, Australia, Uzbekistan, Bangladesh, Laos, lran, Pakistan, Romania, Spain, the Philippines, Uganda, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Korea, Angola, Cuba, Egypt, Netherlands, Kenya and HongKong(China). Among which, the ltaly, France, Brazil, Vietnam, Cambodia, Ghana, etc., have joined as national industry organizations, their members are also important parts of ISU, which makes the influence of ISU radiates to the major silk producing and consuming countries in the world.

International Sericultural Commission(ISC)
ISC is the only intergovernmental international organization registered with the United Nations (Reg. No. 10418) and dedicated to the development of the sericulture and silk industry. It was established on August 8, 1960, with its secretariat located in Bangalore, India. ISC includes 21 member countries, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Brazil, North Korea, Egypt, France, Ghana, Greece, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Kenya, Madagascar, Nepal, Romania, Syria, Thailand, Tunisia, Uganda, and Uzbekistan. The purpose of ISC is to encourage and promote the development and improvement of sericulture science and technology, promote the development of world sericulture production, promote the coordination of activities and project integration among different countries, international organizations and institutions, carry out project cooperation and professional training in capacity building, expert services, exchange and consultation, and technical application, and promote the application and development of sericulture industry in existing and new fields.