On the afternoon of May 7, 2026, the 11th Meeting of the 21st-Century Maritime Cooperation Committee and the 3rd Council Meeting was successfully held in Indonesia.

The event was attended and addressed by prominent officials, including Ir. Hugua, M.Ling, Vice Governor of Southeast Sulawesi Province, Dr. Bernadia Irawati Tjandradewi, Secretary General of the United Cities and Local Governments Asia-Pacific (hereinafter referred to as the “UCLG ASPAC”), Mr. Bambang Susantono, former Vice Minister of Transportation of Indonesia and President of the Academy of Cities and Local Governments, H. Haliana, S.E., Mayor of Wakatobi, and Ir. Wa Ode Hamsinah Bolu, Vice Mayor of Baubau. The meeting was moderated by Mr. Du Weiguang, Deputy Director-General of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Fuzhou Municipal People’s Government and Deputy Secretary General of the Committee.

Tri Rismaharini, former Minister of Social Affairs of Indonesia and former Mayor of Surabaya; Prof. Saparudin, Mayor of Pangkalpinang; as well as more than 30 representatives from Indonesia, South Korea, Japan, the Philippines, China, and the UCLG ASPAC attended the meeting.

On behalf of the Committee Secretariat, Mr. Du Weiguang reported on the latest work progress and future work plans. He extended a broad invitation to the delegates to visit Fuzhou to participate in upcoming events hosted by the Committee, including the Marine thematic forum, the International Workshop on Juncao Technology, and the Awards Ceremony of the 5th Silk Road International Youth Photography and Short Video Competition.

Mr. Chen Yuxiong, Deputy Director of the Fuzhou Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, introduced Fuzhou’s rich cultural heritage, outstanding natural environment, and other core strengths in tourism development, and shared successful cases of the city’s premium cultural and tourism events during the 2026 Chinese New Year.

Mr. Zeng Zhaoren, Chief of the Commerce and Market Regulation Division of the General Office of the Fuzhou Municipal People’s Government, provided a systematic overview of Fuzhou’s experience in deepening business environment reforms, as well as efforts and achievements in building a world-class business environment that is market-oriented, law-based, internationalized, and convenient.

H. Haliana, S.E., Mayor of Wakatobi, shared his city’s achievements in leveraging local marine resources to build a distinctive cultural and tourism industry, and expressed Wakatobi’s commitment to advancing practical cooperation in the marine sector.

Ir. Wa Ode Hamsinah Bolu, Vice Mayor of Baubau, noted that Baubau serves as an important maritime hub in western Indonesia and holds significant strategic value in fields such as transportation logistics and marine fisheries. She expressed expectations for pragmatic cooperation with all parties.

Mr. Bambang Susantono stated that maritime cities should actively expand their global cooperation networks, and prioritize dialogue and cooperation among local governments to jointly achieve high-quality development.

On behalf of the host province of Southeast Sulawesi, Vice Governor Hugua thanked the Committee and UCLG ASPAC for convening the meeting, praising the event for its high standards and remarkable outcomes. He noted that many Indonesian cities, much like Fuzhou, are endowed with exceptional marine resources, suggesting that both sides should prioritize exchange and cooperation, promote resource sharing, and unlock business potential and development opportunities.

In her concluding remarks, Dr. Bernadia Irawati Tjandradewi, Secretary General of UCLG ASPAC, highly commended the strategic value and development potential of both the 21st-Century Maritime Cooperation Committee and Fuzhou. She expressed her gratitude to the Committee for maintaining efficient operations and sustained contributions to regional cooperation over the years. She noted that the Committee upholds the principles of openness and inclusiveness, welcomes member cities of UCLG ASPAC to join the Committee and actively participate in its activities, and hoped that the Committee would maintain its momentum, advance steadily, deepen maritime cooperation, and play a more crucial role in the future.

The 3rd Council Meeting held concurrently, officially approved new members and an associate member joining since 2024, and announced the change in the Secretary General.