CHENGDU, June 19 (Xinhua) -- The opening ceremony of a laboratory for rare animals in the Giant Panda National Park was held at the Dujiangyan base of China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda on Tuesday, marking China's latest effort to protect rare animals.

The center signed a cooperation framework agreement with Lanzhou University, Beijing Normal University, and Sichuan Agricultural University at the opening ceremony, vowing to work together to study reproductive biology, genetics, disease control and prevention, and provide insights on rare animal protection.

The lab will also communicate and exchange research achievements with animal protection organizations in China and abroad.

Labs and veterinary hospitals will be set up in Dujiangyan base, Ya'an base, Shenshuping base and Hetaoping base of the conservation and research center for the giant panda.

Last year, China announced a plan to build a giant panda national park across three provinces -- Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu -- to help the endangered animals move around more freely, offering a larger space for pandas currently living in isolated mountains in the provinces.

The park will cover 27,134 square kilometers, three times the area of America's Yellowstone National Park.