International cooperation the hot topic at forum

The ongoing World Ocean Week in Xiamen, Fujian province, aims to bolster the Belt and Road Initiative and advance international cooperation in marine fields, the organizers said.

With increasing influence worldwide, the event taking place from Nov 3 to 9 has attracted senior officials from nearly 40 countries and regions in Europe, the Americas, Africa, Southeast Asia and the South Pacific region, as well as representatives of more than 10 international organizations.

The State Oceanic Administration released China's major policies, information, plans and research reports during the annual event.

This year, the State Oceanic Administration has briefed the audience on a marine cooperation initiative concerning Belt and Road construction.

China proposed the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road in 2013. Since then, international cooperation centering on the Belt and Road has increased in different fields.

The Belt and Road Initiative was a hot topic during the ninth BRICS Summit in Xiamen in September, where leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa met to discuss common challenges and growth opportunities.

The issue has continued to be a highlight of the World Ocean Week, as the host city, Xiamen, is a key point on the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.

Xiamen is building itself into a center of maritime cooperation between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and is working to promote pragmatic collaboration with ASEAN members.

During the weeklong event, a series of forums and symposiums discussed a variety of issues. They included South-South cooperation, oceanic islands' legal systems, the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, and marine disaster prevention and mitigation.

Government officials, noted scholars and experts, corporate executives from China and abroad, as well as representatives of international organizations, exchanged insights into marine legislation, integrated management, and resources development and protection at the forums.

Marine debris control was another highlight of the discussions and talks during the ocean week. A related international symposium addressed the issue under the framework of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation.

Xiamen and San Francisco have also forged a partnership for oceanic debris prevention and control.

"Due to the interconnectivity of oceans and the mobility of marine debris, pollution is a global issue," said Chi Zhenghao, deputy director of the marine monitoring branch of the Ecological Environmental Protection Department of the State Oceanic Administration.

"International exchange and cooperation need to be strengthened to cope with the issue.

"We will continue to carry out bilateral and multilateral cooperation and exchanges related to marine debris and promote cooperation between Sino-United States Partner Cities to build Xiamen and Weihai into model cities for the prevention and control of marine debris," Chi said.

Further research on techniques will be carried out, such as standardized monitoring of marine debris, distribution of marine debris and impact assessment, he said.

Chen Yue, director of the department of international cooperation at the State Oceanic Administration, said: "China has worked positively and made remarkable achievements in reducing marine debris and promoting marine environmental protection in recent years.

"We have developed bilateral cooperation with the US, Japan and other economies by means of establishing the Marine Debris Sister Cities Partnership. We have tracked and participated in marine debris issues of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development as well as negotiating documents under the G20 framework, and have played a leading role in the establishment of a marine micro-plastics working group under the framework of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO."

Business activities

Part of the World Ocean Week, an array of trade shows are taking place to promote cooperation in the business community.

Among them is an annual international yachting exhibition that continues to promote yachting culture and industries this year. The event witnessed deals worth nearly 200 million yuan ($30 million) signed in 2016.

A growing number of business people participated in the commercialization fair of this year's World Ocean Week to explore cooperative probabilities.

To facilitate business cooperation, the organizers have introduced to the event service providers from the fields of finance, startups and technological commercialization.