On the morning of the 3rd, the 2026 Belt and Road Media Cooperation Forum opened in Fuzhou. Co-hosted by People's Daily and the People's Government of Fujian Province, the forum was themed "Pursuing Common Understandings and Shared Aspirations along the Belt and Road."
At the opening ceremony, the "Belt and Road Media Cooperation: Fuzhou Initiative" was officially released. Media representatives from different countries and regions jointly issued the initiative, focusing on promoting media exchanges and cooperation for the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative. The specific content is as follows:
I. Firmly Uphold Win-Win Cooperation. Open cooperation is the trend of history, and mutual benefit and win-win outcomes are what people aspire to. In 2013, President Xi Jinping proposed the major initiative of jointly building the Belt and Road. Over the past 13 years, the Belt and Road Initiative has evolved from a Chinese proposal into international practice, entering a new stage of high-quality development and making new contributions to promoting global economic growth, improving global economic governance, and enhancing the well-being of people in all countries. Participating countries have upheld connectivity and common development, demonstrating through concrete actions that only win-win cooperation can accomplish things, do them well, and achieve major undertakings.
II. Build Consensus of Thought. The media plays an irreplaceably important role in information dissemination, building mutual trust, and forging consensus. Media organizations in all countries should uphold professional ethics, discard subjective biases, identify false statements, amplify positive voices, and build bridges of understanding and trust through rational and fair reporting, creating a favorable public opinion atmosphere for sharing opportunities, meeting challenges together, and jointly creating prosperity.
III. Deepen Content Collaboration. Media organizations in all countries will continue to rely on multilateral cooperation platforms such as the Belt and Road News Network to carry out in-depth cooperative projects including joint interviews, personnel exchanges, information sharing, and co-production of programs. They will continuously improve broad-based, multi-form, and regularized cooperation mechanisms, produce more high-quality works that resonate with audiences, and actively serve as recorders, participants, and promoters of the Belt and Road Initiative.
IV. Embrace the Wave of Technology. New-generation information technologies such as artificial intelligence are profoundly transforming media formats and the public opinion landscape, presenting both opportunities and challenges. Media organizations in all countries should follow the trend of digital and intelligent development, uphold the principle of using technology for good, delve deeper into the rich connotations of the Belt and Road Initiative in areas such as green development, digitalization, and health, empower quality content dissemination through technology, and enable the voice of the Belt and Road Initiative to transcend mountains and seas and reach broader audiences.
V. Cultivate People-to-People Bonds. Media organizations in all countries should serve as messengers of cultural exchange, expand diverse mechanisms for people-to-people exchanges, organize rich and varied grassroots engagement activities, and promote mutual appreciation and learning among different civilizations. Fujian is the only province in China named with the character "Fu" (meaning fortune/blessing), and the beautiful connotation of "Fu" is shared by different countries and ethnic groups. Revering fortune, praying for fortune, and hoping for fortune are common aspirations of people in all countries. Using "Fu" as a medium, we welcome media organizations from all countries to participate jointly and share in the co-building process, integrating the shared aspiration for a better life into the communication practice of the Belt and Road Initiative, and transforming the aspirations originating from the hearts of the people into a consensus of mutual trust and understanding. Looking to the future, we hope that media organizations from all countries will continue to maintain close exchanges, jointly convey the voice of the era promoting development, and contribute greater media power to building a community with a shared future for mankind and creating a better world.
During the sharing session at the opening ceremony, four guests — Lin Zhanxi, Chief Scientist of the National Juncao Engineering Technology Research Center of China; Abbas Saeed, a tour guide from Egypt and member of the Egypt-China Friendship Association; Serik Kozhumbayev, Editor-in-Chief of Kazakhstan Delovaya Gazeta; and Márcia Melchior, artistic director of the Forte de Copacabana Orchestra in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and director of the Shanhe Cultural Promotion Center — shared their personal Belt and Road stories respectively. Their simple yet moving narratives won rounds of applause from the audience.
Source: Fuzhou Daily
2026-11-09
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On November 5, 2026, the Chinese and English editions of the research report The Status, Role and Prospects of the Marine Biodiversity Agreement and China's Role were released. Organized and compiled by the Institute of Marine Development Strategy of the Ministry of Natural Resources, the report systematically sets out the far-reaching significance of the entry into force 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 (referred to as the "Marine Biodiversity Agreement" or "the Agreement") and the positive contribution China has made, demonstrating China's sense of responsibility in promoting the development of international rules and in helping to put the Agreement into effect.
Nearly Two Decades of Full Participation: China's Proposals Helped Bring About the Agreement
The Agreement entered into force on January 17, 2026. As the third implementing agreement of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, it fills the legal gap in the governance of marine biodiversity on the high seas and in the international seabed area. Its entry into force is a landmark achievement of multilateralism in the field of global ocean governance, and it bears on the health of the ocean and the common well-being of all humanity. China took part in the negotiations throughout their nearly two-decade course, put forward constructive proposals on the Agreement's four core issues, promoted the establishment of a mechanism for the sharing of benefits from marine genetic resources, defined the implementation paths for measures such as area-based management tools, enhanced the transparency of environmental impact assessment procedures, and helped developing countries strengthen their capacity to implement the Agreement — playing a key role in bridging North–South differences, building consensus among the parties and facilitating the conclusion of the Agreement.
Facilitating Access to Marine Genetic Resources and Benefit-sharing, Helping More Countries Conduct Joint Research and Share the Results
China has taken the initiative to open up the research cruises conducted by deep-sea submersibles such as Jiaolong and Fendouzhe (Striver) and by research vessels such as Deep Sea No. 1, vigorously carried out international cooperation in deep-sea scientific research and shared the fruits of marine scientific and technological innovation with other countries. It has preserved nearly 60,000 marine microbial resources and provides international users with access to samples and data through its resource bank and database, steadily enhancing the capacity of developing countries to collect and develop marine genetic resources.
Strengthening Marine Ecological Protection and Restoration, Consolidating the Foundation for Marine Biodiversity Conservation
Acting on a governance philosophy of harmony between humanity and the sea, China has drawn marine ecological conservation red lines covering about 150,000 square kilometers, established 353 marine protected areas and implemented 194 marine ecological protection projects, and is one of the few countries in the world where mangrove area has recorded a net increase. China takes an active part in the United Nations "Ocean Decade" programme and leads the implementation of 10 international big-science programmes, including "Digital Deep-sea Typical Habitats", steadily consolidating the scientific basis for putting measures such as area-based management tools into practice.
Building Up Experience in Environmental Impact Assessment, Supporting Developing Countries with Technical Assistance for Implementation
China has kept improving its legal framework for the environmental impact assessment of activities in the international seabed area, and contractors exploring mineral resources in "the Area" are actively fulfilling their EIA obligations. Having accumulated practical experience in the environmental impact assessment of deep-sea activities and built up environmental data, professional expertise and specialized personnel, China is able to assist developing countries in conducting environmental impact assessments for deep-sea activities and to promote a green and low-carbon transformation of the way ocean activities are carried out.
Promoting Cooperation Networks and Talent Training, Strengthening Ocean Governance Capacity in the Global South
China has signed marine cooperation agreements with more than 50 countries and international organizations, jointly built more than 40 marine research centers and joint laboratories, and invested about 200 million yuan in more than 100 "small and beautiful" marine cooperation projects. It has held more than 300 training courses on marine science, technology and management, which have benefited more than 6,000 young scholars and officials from developing countries, contributing to stronger implementation capacity in the developing world.
China is among the first signatories to and parties to the Agreement, and has actively submitted an application for the Agreement's secretariat to be based in Xiamen, hoping to turn its ocean governance experience, scientific and technological capabilities, cooperation resources and host-country support conditions into concrete action in the service of all parties. The report concludes that China is willing and able to provide sustained and stable support for the comprehensive and effective implementation of the Agreement, so that the fruits of its own development will better benefit the international community.
Source: XINHUA
2026-11-06
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The National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center officially released version 2.0 of the "Mazu" ocean forecast numerical model on November 1, marking another major breakthrough in China's ocean forecast "chip" project organized and implemented by the Ministry of Natural Resources.
Surface current field product of the "Mazu" ocean current model. (Photo courtesy of the National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center)
At the 11th World Mazu Culture Forum, version 2.0 of the "Mazu" ocean forecast numerical model was officially released. After five years of iterative research, version 2.0 of the "Mazu" model has achieved comprehensive improvements in forecast resolution, application scenarios, and self-reliance and controllability.
Ocean numerical models are important support for understanding and developing the ocean and for disaster prevention and mitigation. In the past, China's ocean forecasting relied on numerical models from the United States and Europe for a long time. The Ministry of Natural Resources organized and implemented the ocean forecast "chip" project, successfully developing version 1.0 of the "Mazu·Ocean Current" and "Mazu·Ocean Wave" numerical models in 2021 and 2023, respectively, bringing ocean numerical forecasting into a new stage of independent and systematic development.
Version 2.0 of "Mazu·Ocean Current" has developed a unified dynamic core numerical simulation technology that can achieve variable-resolution simulation from global to local sea areas. This technology will promote the iteration of China's marine environment forecasting toward global kilometer-level resolution and strongly support deep-sea engineering, polar expeditions, and maritime channel security.
Version 2.0 of "Mazu·Ocean Wave" introduces new wave physics schemes, greatly improving the simulation accuracy of typhoon-induced large wave processes and expanding application scenarios such as swell and maximum wave height forecasting. This version has achieved optimized adaptation on domestic Xinchuang (IT application innovation) equipment, further improving the model's level of self-reliance and controllability.
According to Zhang Yu, an expert from the "Mazu" numerical forecast model research and development team at the National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center, after verification, evaluation, and review by academicians and experts, the new version has significantly enhanced its ability to characterize small- and medium-scale ocean processes, and its forecasting performance for seawater temperature, salinity, and flow velocity has reached the international advanced level. The accuracy of significant wave height forecasting is comparable to that of internationally authoritative models.
At present, the "Mazu" model has been open-sourced and fully deployed in provincial-level forecasting agencies along the coast. It has also carried out technical training and model transplantation for Indonesia, Bangladesh, and other countries multiple times, realizing the international promotion and application of China's independently developed ocean forecast model.
During the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, the National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center will explore the coordinated development of the "Mazu" model and artificial intelligence, promote the application of domestic ocean satellite data assimilation, and form a full-chain, self-reliant, and controllable ocean forecasting operational capability.
Source: Xinhuanet
2026-11-04
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Rossbach, Executive Director of UN-Habitat shared her reflections on walking around Fuzhou late at night: Fuzhou has achieved a nice balance between people-centered urban development & the conservation of nature. The city's transformation history can be important for many cities around the world.
Source: Fudao Funway
2026-11-02
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In an interview with Xinhua at the IMO headquarters in London on Friday, IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said that he looked forward to further deepening cooperation between the IMO and China in green shipping, technological innovation and the implementation of international maritime rules.
Dominguez commended China's expertise in shipbuilding, port infrastructure and maritime technology. Speaking about China's contribution to the global maritime industry, Dominguez highlighted China's advances in automation and alternative fuels, as well as technologies designed to improve ships' safety, security and operational efficiency.
He also acknowledged China's efforts to help developing countries implement IMO instruments and its direct support for IMO projects, describing such cooperation as "helpful and very welcome."
He noted China's broad participation in the IMO's decision-making process, pointing to the establishment of China's permanent mission to the organization in London this year as a demonstration of its commitment.
On the global shipping industry's green transition, Dominguez said China could contribute by demonstrating the efficiency and effectiveness of new technologies, sharing technical knowledge and experience, and making such technologies available to other countries, particularly developing nations.
"We talked about a lot of AI, but it's also the safety aspects to use this technology the right way," Dominguez said. "This is what I also expect from China, that they will use these opportunities to share with others, to implement it, to help other countries to actually raise their bar."
Looking ahead to the upcoming North Bund Forum in Shanghai, Dominguez described it as an important platform for building partnerships and advancing international maritime cooperation. He said the forum would give the IMO and maritime industry stakeholders an opportunity to outline their next steps, identify the actions needed to advance the sector, and strengthen the partnerships required to put those plans into practice. Dominguez added that he had long hoped to attend the forum, as direct engagement with maritime stakeholders offered valuable insights into the practical steps being taken to shape the future of shipping.
Source: XINHUA
2026-10-29
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