China and Indian Ocean countries eye further collaboration for blue economy development

China and countries from the Indian Ocean region agreed on closer collaboration in tackling common challenges and unlocking opportunities for blue economy development during a forum that concluded on Tuesday.

The third China-Indian Ocean Region Forum on Blue Economy Development Cooperation, held in Kunming, the capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, focused on key marine topics, including fisheries, connectivity, disaster prevention, climate change governance, marine energy, and ecological protection.

"We are willing to work with all parties to continue mobilizing resources, implementing the Global Development Initiative and the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda in an integrated manner, and fully supporting small island nations in achieving more resilient and lasting prosperity," Luo Zhaohui, chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), said at the opening ceremony.

The three-day event, hosted by CIDCA, brought together more than 300 government officials, experts, business leaders and representatives from international organizations.

"Comoros and China share excellent cooperation. In 2022, we signed a memorandum of understanding on the blue economy. This forum provides a great opportunity to implement the agreement and jointly explore maritime resources," Maoulana Charif, ambassador of the Union of Comoros to China, told CGTN.

A highlight of this year's forum was a government-business dialogue, where officials and representatives of Chinese enterprises discussed paths for broader international collaboration by engaging multiple stakeholders. International organizations also emphasized their roles in facilitating cooperation in the region.

"We are multilateral investment banks. We have a lot of investments," said Rodrigo Salvado, director general of AIIB's operational partnership department.

"We provide cheaper and longer-term financing for all these projects, such as fixing oceans and repurposing ports. Those things take money and time, and we are here to provide that type of financing, which actually makes sense for the developing countries," Salvado noted.

Over the past decade, within the framework of South-South cooperation, China has actively provided support to help small island countries tackle climate change with various projects, such as the electric bus initiative in Mauritius, a desalination venture in the Maldives and the creation of a low-carbon demonstration zone in Seychelles. Participants agreed that the forum, uniting partners from diverse sectors, is expected to drive stronger momentum for the development of the Global South.

"Through cooperation with China, I see the importance and significance of advancing our objective of developing the emerging sectors, like marine biotechnology, circular economy, aquaculture, and also among the renewable energy sector. China can also play a very pivotal role in research, especially in marine scientific research," Phillianne Ernesta, an official at the Seychelles' Ministry of Fisheries and the Blue Economy, told CGTN.

The event also saw the inauguration of the China-Indian Ocean Region Marine Cooperation and Training Center, marking another step forward in promoting regional collaboration.

According to the forum, from 2024 to 2026, China will help train 20,000 "blue talents" for Indian Ocean countries and establish "Climate Colleges" in collaboration with universities in the region.

At the closing ceremony, Beate Trankmann, resident representative of UNDP in China, said that the organization is ready to cooperate with China and other countries to protect and restore important ecosystems, including the ocean, and integrate sustainable development into the blue economy.

"No country can achieve this alone. Only through shared determination and international cooperation can we address the challenges of our time and realize the vision of the 2030 Agenda," said Trankmann.

(CGTN's Luo Caiwen contributed to this report)