On June 1, hosted by the International Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Science and Technology and guided by the Science and Technology Development Department of the Ministry of Natural Resources, the International Training on Marine and Coastal Ecological Environment and Disasters Monitoring in Small Island Developing States was held in Hangzhou, participated by a total of 26 trainees from 15 island countries and regions from the Pacific region, Africa, and the Indian Ocean region, including Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Kiribati, Cook Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia.

The course lasted for 15 days, with 33 well-known experts from China Resources Satellite Application Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Zhejiang University, China Agricultural University, Liaocheng University and the SIO giving more than 30 special lectures, practical operations and on-site teaching courses as instructors with the focus on the marine ecological environment changes and disaster monitoring and sustainable development faced by small island developing countries worldwide through China's technological advantages in satellite remote sensing, ocean observation, and ocean management.

Director Fang Yinxia delivered a welcome speech, stating that the Second Institute of Oceanography, MNR would continuously strengthen the establishment of stable cooperative relationships with marine research institutions from various countries, including small island countries, and enhance the level of international cooperation in ocean observation, ecological protection, disaster prevention and reduction, and sustainable development through international cooperation platforms such as the China -Africa Marine Science and Blue Economy Cooperation Center and the Indian Ocean Rim Cooperation and Training Center and hoping that trainees could become ambassadors of multi-party cooperation by participating in training courses. Leaders from the International Department of the Ministry of Natural Resources, the China Oceanic Development Foundation, and the Island Research Center of the Ministry of Natural Resources also delivered speeches.

Director Fang Yinxia and Deputy Director Lu Shuning of China Resources Satellite Application Center respectively presented 26 trainees from 15 countries with the independent remote sensing images and national monitoring research reports for their own countries on behalf of the project achievement units of the National Key R&D Program “Monitoring Capacity of Typical Elements of Marine and Coastal Ecological Environment in Pacific Island Countries” at the opening ceremony. In the keynote presentation section, Professor Surendra PRASAD, Dean of the School of Agriculture, Geography, Environment, Oceanography and Natural Sciences at the University of South Pacific, Researcher Zou Bin, Deputy Director of the National Satellite Ocean Application Center, and Researcher Zhou Feng, Director of the State Key Laboratory of Satellite Ocean Environment Dynamics of the SIO, respectively made a report on topics of “Ocean Research and Prospects at the University of South Pacific,” “Development and Application of China's Ocean Observation Satellites”, and “Monitoring and Prediction of Coastal Ecological Disasters”.

The trainees also visited the exhibition hall of the SIO and the State Key Laboratory of Satellite Ocean Environment Dynamics and experienced the science popularization activities of the SIO on World Ocean Day 2024, laying a good foundation for the follow-up training activities and cooperation and exchange.