Vice Minister of the State Oceanic Administration Chen Lianzheng recently met with Prime Minister of Vanuatu Sato Kilman and his delegation at the National Marine Environmental Monitoring Center. The two sides exchanged views on further strengthening marine cooperation and jointly addressing global climate change.
Chen Lianzheng expressed gratitude for the warm reception during his delegation's visit to Vanuatu last August. He stated that as a small island nation in the South Pacific, Vanuatu has a vast marine area and rich marine biological and seabed mineral resources. However, due to its small population and limited resource development capacity, as well as a relatively low level of marine technology, Vanuatu faces challenges in addressing climate change, disaster prevention and reduction, and marine resource development, which complements China's strengths. At the same time, the South Pacific region is a natural extension of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, and there is significant potential for cooperation between small island nations and China in the marine sector.
Chen Lianzheng pointed out that both China and Vanuatu are maritime nations, and the ocean plays a very important role in the economic and social development of both countries. The leaders of both nations attach great importance to marine cooperation. In November of last year, China and Vanuatu signed the "Memorandum of Understanding between the Governments of China and Vanuatu on Cooperation in the Marine Field," marking a new chapter in marine cooperation between the two countries. It is hoped that this will serve as an opportunity to solidly advance cooperation and exchanges in areas such as marine observation and forecasting, marine disaster warning, marine ecological environment protection, marine resource exploration and development, and marine scientific research.
Sato Kilman expressed appreciation for the long-standing cooperation between the two countries in the marine field. He pointed out that global climate change increasingly threatens the socio-economic development of small island nations. Through cooperation with China in marine matters, Vanuatu has genuinely felt China's pragmatic attitude and hopes to further strengthen cooperation with China in addressing global climate change, jointly shouldering responsibilities and obligations in this regard.
After the talks, Chen Lianzheng accompanied Sato Kilman and his delegation on a tour of some laboratories at the monitoring center and engaged in discussions with the laboratory staff.