Storyline: Ecuador has partnered with China to turn its bamboo into a tool for innovation and green growth in recent years as dozens of Ecuadorians have taken part in training courses in China. The Latin American country is home to more than 40 species of bamboo, 11 of them found nowhere else on the planet, with 600,000 hectares of bamboo growing across the Andes, coastal regions and the Amazon. Thanks to the courses organized by the International Bamboo and Rattan Organization (INBAR), an intergovernmental development organization that promotes environmentally sustainable development using bamboo and rattan, the fast-growing plant is gaining new value, with a boost from Chinese cooperation. Esteban Torres, an industrial designer and woodworker, joined one of those training sessions in China. While there, he deepened his knowledge of materials, tools, and processes. Back in Ecuador, Esteban is applying that experience to craft better designs and build sustainable products with local bamboo as he hopes for the industry to keep growing in the country. "What we need is clear policies, so people can invest without fear and with new conceptions of sustainability, fair trade and ecological impact," said Torres. With support from China and local innovation, Ecuador's bamboo industry is growing. But in order to thrive, it still faces big challenges: more investment, better infrastructure, and a stronger presence in local and international markets. Shotlist: FILE: Date and Location Unknown: 1. Group photo of bamboo industry trainees Quito, Ecuador - April 28, 2025: 2. SOUNDBITE (Spanish, dubbed in English) Pablo Jacome, regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean, International Bamboo and Rattan Organization (ending with shot 3): "The training programs being developed between China and Latin America serve to strengthen practical skills and provide insight into China's bamboo industry. China is the world's largest bamboo producer, and its technology is among the most advanced available to us." Quito, Ecuador - April 30, 2025: 3. Various of computer showing photos of training courses 4. Esteban Torres, industrial designer and woodworker, showing his work FILE: China - Exact Location and Date Unknown: 5. Photos showing Torres in training course, with Chinese craftspersons Quito, Ecuador - April 28, 2025 (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland) 6. SOUNDBITE (English) Esteban Torres, industrial designer and woodworker (partially overlaid with shot 7): "I got the opportunity to learn a lot about it at that time, and especially to confirm the possibility of things that me, as a designer, I was thinking that I could do with bamboo here in Ecuador. Viewing the results the Chinese technology already have made, I confirmed that we were able to do it also here." [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] Quito, Ecuador - April 30, 2025 (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland) 7. Various of Torres checking tool for bamboo craft with craftsman [SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE] 8. Various of Torres showing artworks 9. SOUNDBITE (English) Esteban Torres, industrial designer and woodworker (ending with shot 10): "What we need is clear policies, so people can invest without fear and with new conceptions of sustainability, fair trade and ecological impact." FILE: Date and Location Unknown: 10. Photos of bamboo industry trainees. [Restrictions : No access Chinese mainland]