China (Hainan)-ASEAN 2024 Think Tank Forum focuses on marine cooperation
The "China (Hainan) -ASEAN 2024 Think Tank Forum" was held in Haikou on Monday, with more than 150 experts and scholars from five countries and regions discussing enhancing maritime cooperation between China and ASEAN. Xi Jinsong, vice-president of the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, said that in recent years, China and ASEAN countries have carried out fruitful and practical cooperation in the maritime field, from maritime connectivity to Marine economic cooperation, from Marine environmental protection to maritime security cooperation. At present, China is committed to developing new quality productive forces characterized by innovation. China can join hands with ASEAN countries to increase input in scientific and technological innovation and strengthen cooperation in Marine ecological protection and sustainable utilization of Marine resources, Xi said.
NurZulaikhaYusof, senior researcher at the Centre for Coastal and Marine Environment of the Malaysian Maritime Research Institute, believes that Marine cooperation between China and ASEAN should start from scientific research. Increase research on Marine plastic pollution, seawater eutrophication and acidification, depletion of fishery resources and other fields, and gradually achieve scientific research results in the sustainable management of Marine resources, Marine ecosystem protection and other aspects to guide Marine governance practices.
In recent years, the international community has paid more and more attention to the importance of blue carbon in the mitigation of global climate change. Lin Guanghui, chief scientist of the Hainan International Blue Carbon Research Center and a professor at Tsinghua University, said the South China Sea is the global distribution center of important blue carbon ecosystems such as mangroves and seagrass beds. China and ASEAN can explore blue carbon demonstration cooperation projects, develop new international standards for blue carbon, innovate new mechanisms for blue carbon trading, and expand blue carbon trading markets and financial products, Lin said.
The China (Hainan) -ASEAN Think Tank Forum was established in 2017. The forum is co-hosted by the National Institute for South China Sea Studies and the Federation of Social Sciences of Hainan Province.