Jian LIN, Member of the European Academy of Sciences, Director of the Southern University of Science and Technology’s (SUSTech) Advanced Institute for Ocean Research (AIOR), and Head of the Shenzhen Ocean University Preparatory Office, led a scientific expedition team to the Kingdom of Tonga. During the visit, the team unveiled a jointly established Belt and Road joint laboratory and officially launched the joint “marine-low altitude” aerial survey of volcanoes and tsunamis in Tonga.

Joint Laboratory Unveiling Ceremony

On September 15^th, the unveiling ceremony of the Belt and Road Joint Laboratory was held at the Faculty of Science and Technology of the Tonga National University (TNU). Attendees included Prof. Jian LIN, Dr. Giulio Massaso Tuikolongahau Paunga, Vice-Chancellor of TNU, and student representatives. The two institutions agreed to strengthen cooperation in marine science and higher education through marine science research, joint ocean expeditions, and education and practical training for future marine science professionals.

That afternoon, the expedition team officially began the first leg of its inaugural Tonga expedition, with TNU scientists and student representatives participating throughout. For the first time, both sides completed a joint “marine-low altitude” survey experiment on volcanoes and tsunamis in Tonga. The expedition focused on the January 15, 2022 eruption of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai, the most powerful explosive volcanic event of this century, using drones launched from the sea and islands to conduct high-precision experiments including 3D elevation mapping, infrared thermal imaging scans, and multi-parameter atmospheric monitoring, with key observations on tsunami height, inundation distance, and distribution of tsunami boulders.

The second leg of the inaugural Tonga expedition is scheduled for October-November 2026. It will include joint deep-sea magnetotelluric and seismic experiments in the Tonga Trench to further investigate the deep structure of the subduction zone, water and carbon fluxes, volcanic eruption mechanisms, and related scientific questions.