Lyu Bin, chairman of the China Oceanic Development Foundation, delivers a speech at the opening ceremony. [Photo/en.xmu.edu.cn]
The Workshop on Sustainable Oceans 2026 — the International Conference on Industry-University-Research-Application Cooperation for the Maritime Silk Road convened in Xiamen on Nov 7, bringing together nearly 300 experts, scholars, and industry representatives from more than 10 countries.
Co-hosted by Xiamen University and the China Oceanic Development Foundation, it focused on how science, technology, and capacity building can support implementation of the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement).
Lyu Bin, chairman of the China Oceanic Development Foundation, said the foundation would help translate the agreement's framework into practical action for ocean sustainability through research, capacity building, and international cooperation.
Xin Hongmei, director of the Ocean Consulting Center under the Ministry of Natural Resources, said the center would support domestic implementation of the BBNJ Agreement and strengthen environmental impact assessments of marine activities beyond national jurisdiction.
Dai Minhan, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and director of the Fujian Ocean Innovation Center, addresses the workshop in Xiamen. [Photo/en.xmu.edu.cn]
Dai Minhan, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and director of the Fujian Ocean Innovation Center, stressed that effective implementation requires reliable monitoring and management technologies, as well as equitable participation, especially by developing countries.
Keynote speakers discussed the BBNJ Agreement's four core institutional arrangements, advances in sustained Arctic observation, and emerging trends in offshore wind energy. On the sidelines, the Pacific Islands Development Forum and the Fujian Institute for Sustainable Oceans at Xiamen University signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in capacity building, joint research, and training and exchange programs.
