Forum on int'l deep-sea science, technology cooperation opens in China's Hainan

This photo taken on Oct. 24, 2023 shows the inauguration ceremony of the 2023 Hainan Free Trade Port International Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Forum and Deep-Sea Technology Innovation Conference, in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)

SANYA, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- The first edition of a new conference on international deep-sea science and technology cooperation opened on Tuesday in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province.

The 2023 Hainan Free Trade Port International Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Forum and Deep-Sea Technology Innovation Conference sees the participation of representatives from about 170 organizations and institutions worldwide.

Themed "Focusing on the Deep Sea for a Shared Future," it aims to serve as a platform for international in-depth exchanges and cooperation on deep-sea science and technology.

During the inauguration ceremony on Tuesday, Liu Xiaoming, governor of Hainan Province, said that Hainan has made international scientific and technological cooperation a focal point in its mission to globalize its free trade port, and committed to open and innovative policies to facilitate more accessible and convenient scientific collaboration and cultural exchanges.

He said that these efforts were aimed at nurturing a globally competitive innovation environment and attracting top-tier global research institutions and scientific talents, helping create a world-renowned hub for deep-sea scientific and technological innovation in Hainan.

Amr Zakaria Hamouda, vice-president of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO and president of the Egyptian National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, said that the forum would serve as a platform for exchanging knowledge, sharing experiences and fostering collaboration among nations.

He added that it was through cooperation and joint efforts that the challenges presented by the deep sea could be overcome and the opportunities it offered could be harnessed.

The three-day forum features multiple parallel sessions covering topics such as deep-sea technology, deep life, blue carbon cooperation, and the utilization and conservation of deep-sea mineral resources.

Peng Xiaotong from the Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences delivers a report during the 2023 Hainan Free Trade Port International Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Forum and Deep-Sea Technology Innovation Conference, in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, Oct. 24, 2023. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)

Amr Zakaria Hamouda, vice-president of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO and president of the Egyptian National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, addresses the inauguration ceremony of the 2023 Hainan Free Trade Port International Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Forum and Deep-Sea Technology Innovation Conference, in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, Oct. 24, 2023. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)

This photo taken on Oct. 24, 2023 shows the inauguration ceremony of the 2023 Hainan Free Trade Port International Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Forum and Deep-Sea Technology Innovation Conference, in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province. (Xinhua/Yang Guanyu)