On the afternoon of May 18, the Forum on Smart Ocean was held in a hybrid form. Mr. Lin Jian, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Fuzhou Municipal Committee and President of Fuzhou People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Mr. Shahbaz Khan, Director of UNESCO Cluster Office in Beijing, Mr. Wang Liyong, Deputy Director General of China Center for Contemporary World Studies and Deputy Secretary General of Silk Road Think Tank Association, addressed the audience. At the forum, an official of the government of Yangon City, Myanmar, an advisor for the Clean Cities Blue Ocean Project, the Ambassador of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago to China, the Director of the Department of Environmental Science, Xiamen University, the Consul General of the Republic of Costa Rica in Shanghai, a senior researcher of UN EP, the president of Hongdong Fishery Co., Ltd., the Chief Operating Officer of Tatwah Smartech Co., Ltd., and other speakers delivered keynote speeches to share on theoretical research, practical experience and development achievements in the field of smart ocean. Afterwards, under the theme of “Marine Development Through Science and Technology”, experts and scholars from various countries carried out free discussion around topics such as the construction of marine big data platforms, modern marine agricultural technology, development of smart ocean industries, application of the Internet of Things in ocean-related fields, etc., to pool wisdom for maritime development and unlock potential for maritime cooperation.

In the five years since the establishment of the 21st-Century Maritime Cooperation Committee, its member cities and organizations have seen more smooth communication and closer connections. With its international influence continuously growing, the Committee has become an important platform for countries and regions along the “Belt and Road” to carry out maritime cooperation. The Second General Assembly of 21st-Century Maritime Cooperation Committee and Forum on Smart Ocean has successfully facilitated exchanges for win-win cooperation by providing opportunities to share innovative ideas and best practices in the maritime field. The event has strongly promoted the maritime exchanges and cooperation between Fuzhou and other member cities, and accelerated Fuzhou’s development into a modern international city. It will foster the maritime economic growth in cities of countries and regions involved in the Maritime Silk Road, injecting impetus into the "Belt and Road" development.

Source: 21st-Century Maritime Cooperation Committee