Sustainable marine development and strategies to mitigate the impacts of El Nino on island economies took center stage at the China-Island Countries Ocean Cooperation Forum, held on Tuesday and Wednesday in Pingtan City, east China's Fujian Province.
The forum, themed "Building Beautiful and Harmonious Islands and Sharing Blue Prosperity," brought together government officials, international organization representatives, and experts from more than 20 countries to discuss marine conservation and climate adaptation.
For Pacific island countries confronting intensifying climate volatility, practical preparation remains paramount. Hiria Ottino, president of the Pacific-China Friendship Association, noted that communities are bracing for severe weather by reinforcing infrastructure and securing maritime assets.
"We all know that El Niño is going to be very strong this year, and all the islands are very afraid of it. We're buying lots of ropes to tie our roofs down, cutting the trees next to the house - so if they fall, they don't break us. People have a bigger boat. We're asking all the family members to carry them out of the ocean, to put them deep inside land. All of that is mitigation. I think the specialists who are speaking here are sharing the experience on how to live a better life in this changing world and changing environment," he said.
International participants also praised China's commitment to marine science research and infrastructure.
"What amazes me is that you have a very good infrastructure. I went to the research center yesterday; you have impressive buildings. I think China is very serious about R and D and this is actually key in ensuring the sustainability of the resources that you have here. There is always a conflict between generating income and managing the environment. And I think you are putting in a lot of effort in ensuring the balance," said Shaufique Sidique, a professor at the School of Business and Economics of Universiti Putra Malaysia.
Bilateral scientific cooperation continues to yield practical outcomes. Professor Yang Min of the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences at the Chinese Academy of Sciences pointed to ongoing water technology partnerships with Sri Lanka, which have previously helped tackle safe drinking water shortages and reduce chronic kidney disease cases in the country's northern and central regions.
Chinese scientists are now looking to expand that cooperation into climate-resilient water systems.
"A climate-resilient water supply system is one that can continue to provide safe and reliable water to the public even when extreme climate events occur. For instance, there is a local water treatment plant by a river that was completely submerged last year. As a result, it is still relying on temporary water supply arrangements to this day. The pumps there ended up being completely underwater. Therefore, the core challenge is how to ensure a stable water supply even under such extreme conditions," said Yang.
With priorities centered on resilient coastlines, island ecological protection, and blue economic connectivity, the forum showcased China’s advancements in marine disaster prevention while reinforcing momentum for a stronger blue partnership network.
China-Island countries ocean cooperation forum focuses on climate resilience, marine sustainability
