On September 1-3, the 13th Cross-Strait Marine Science Seminar hosted by the SIO was held in Hangzhou. Academician Su Jilan and Academician Li Jiabiao from the SIO, Academician Dai Minhan from Xiamen University, and over 200 marine scientists from various research institutes and universities on both sides of the Taiwan Strait gathered together to discuss the development and cooperation of marine science. Representatives from the Ministry of Natural Resources, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and the Administrative Center for China’s Agenda 21 attended the seminar, and Director Fang Yinxia delivered a welcoming speech.

At the opening ceremony, Academician Su Jilan and Professor Bai Shuzhen from Taiwan University, as representatives of scientists from both sides of the Taiwan Strait, affectionately recalled the founding process of the Cross-Strait Marine Science Seminar and the deep connection with the seminar. The Cross-Strait Marine Science Seminar is a grand event for oceanographers from both sides of the Taiwan Strait to engage in academic exchanges with their mother tongue. Jointly initiated by Academician Su Jilan from the SIO, Professor Zhuang Wensi from Taiwan University, and Professor Xue Ya from Florida State University in 1991, it is the earliest non-governmental academic exchange seminar for marine scientists from both sides of the Taiwan Strait. After more than 30 years, it has been successively held to the 13th session, and has become a brand activity to deepen cross-strait marine cooperation and exchange, thus building a good platform for the integrated development of cross-strait marine science.

The theme of this seminar is “Marine Science Cognition and Sustainable Development of Ecosystem under Global Change”. At the seminar, four experts, including Academician Dai Minhan from Xiamen University, Professor Cai Anyi from National Taiwan Ocean University, Professor Qian Hua from Taiwan Central University and Researcher Wang Fan from Institute of Oceanography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, made specially invited reports. In addition, four special topics of “Physical Ocean and Ocean Remote Sensing”, “Marine Chemistry”, “Marine Biology/Ecology/Fisheries” and “Marine Geology” were set at the seminar. More than 40 experts and scholars from both sides of the Taiwan Strait delivered keynote speeches on the recent progress in their respective research fields and conducted academic exchanges. More than 50 wall papers were set up to provide a display and exchange platform for young scientists.

The experts at the seminar agreed that it is very meaningful for marine scholars from both sides of the Taiwan Strait to have in-depth exchanges on their latest achievements in the field of marine scientific research and discuss the matters of cross-strait marine science cooperation. Both sides of the Taiwan Strait can continue to tap the cooperation potential, expand cooperation areas and deepen cross-strait marine science and technology exchange, cooperation and integrated development. Experts suggested further strengthening cross-strait research cooperation in the field of marine ecology and environmental protection and restoration, such as carrying out technical exchanges and demonstration application cooperation, conducting research on sources, mechanisms, assessments, and responses of microplastics and cross-border pollutants; further deepening the cooperation in promoting green development, such as research on ocean carbon cycle and climate change, ocean new energy utilization, and blue carbon, so as to contribute wisdom and strength to the sustainable development of the ocean.