On October 18, the Thematic Forum on Maritime Cooperation of the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation was held in Beijing.

Almost 200 representatives from government departments, scientific research institutions, universities, enterprises, and relevant international organizations attended the forum, including Guozhong LIU, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council, and Menasi Melanga, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure Development of the Solomon Islands.

Related experts conducted in-depth exchanges around the three topics of developing a sustainable blue economy, improving the health and resilience of marine ecosystems, and promoting marine science and technology innovation.

Jian LIN, Chair Professor of the Department of Ocean Science and Engineering at the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), was invited to attend the forum and chaired the topic of promoting marine science and technology innovation.

Hong WANG, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Director of the State Oceanic Administration, launched the Belt and Road Blue Cooperation Initiative at the forum.

The initiative focuses on ten aspects: to create a blue engine for sustainable development, promote the sustainable use of marine resources, implement marine spatial planning, conserve marine biodiversity and resilience, keep the ocean healthy and clean, strengthen ocean-based climate action, deepen marine science and technology cooperation, provide maritime public services, improve ocean literacy for all, build the Blue Partnership.

Wenhong TANG, Deputy Head of the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), announced a list of achievements under the Belt and Road Blue Cooperation Initiative. This included bilateral cooperation documents signed before and during the forum, cooperation initiatives and platforms supported by China, and a list of cooperation projects.

On the topic of promoting marine science and technology innovation, Jian LIN presided over the event with experts focusing on the importance of marine science and technology innovation for sustainable development.

They discussed issues of great concern to the world’s oceans, including marine science and technology innovation initiatives, new energy and new marine resource development, sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, marine ecological disasters, and international maritime trade.

Participants included experts and scholars from China, Indonesia, Russia, and Sri Lanka, amongst other countries.

Afterward, Ocky Karna Radjasa, Dean of the Research Organization of Earth Sciences and Maritime of the National Research and Innovation Agency of Indonesia (BRIN), visited SUSTech to participate in the Maritime Silk Road Cooperation Forum, focusing on the vision of marine science cooperation between China and Indonesia.

SUSTech will take the Thematic Forum on Maritime Cooperation of the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation as an opportunity to continue to promote international cooperation in the field of marine research, focusing on marine science and technology innovation, and providing more scientific and technological support for the development and utilization of marine resources and ecological environmental protection.

The forum was hosted by the Ministry of Natural Resources and co-organized by CIDCA.