Abstract
•China's National Botanical Gardens (NGBs) target to protect 70% of threatened species by 2035.•NBGs implement ex situ conservation, scientific research, resource utilization, public education, and horticultural display.•NBGs and China's National Parks create a robust two-pronged approach that combines ex situ and in situ conservation.•NBGs contribute to global biodiversity targets by sharing conservation technologies and germplasm resources.