On June 4, the China-Madagascar Joint Laboratory on Continental Shelf Research, jointly established by the Second Institute of Oceanography Ministry of Natural Resources of China and the National Office of Mines and Strategic Industries of Madagascar, was officially inaugurated. More than 20 representatives and experts from both China and Madagascar attended the ceremony, including Sun Shuxian, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Natural Resources of China and Administrator of the State Oceanic Administration; Razananiarina Henry Delis, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Mines of Madagascar; and Li Jiabiao, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. The ceremony was hosted by Fang Yinxia, Director-General of the Second Institute of Oceanography.
As one of the first ten China-Africa Joint Laboratories approved by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China, the China-Madagascar Joint Laboratory will focus on research related to the tectonic evolution of the Madagascar continental margin, the effects of continental shelf delimitation, joint processing of China-Madagascar cooperative expedition data, as well as international training and exchanges. The Joint Laboratory is positioned to become an important platform facilitating scientific collaboration and capacity building between the two countries and supporting the sustainable development of their marine sectors. The Laboratory is headed by Dr. Tang Yong, Vice Chair of the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) and Director of the Center for Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf Studies at SIO.
During the ceremony, Vice Minister Sun Shuxian, Secretary-General Delis, Academician Li Jiabiao, and other distinguished guests jointly unveiled the plaque of the Joint Laboratory. The Laboratory’s Expert Committee was also officially established, with Academician Li Jiabiao serving as Scientific Advisor and Chen Danhong, Director-General of the Department of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Natural Resources, serving as Chair. Dr. Tang Yong awarded letters of appointment to committee members and presented the Laboratory’s development plan, including key scientific questions, research priorities, technical approaches, foundational work, and future objectives. Participants held in-depth discussions on the Laboratory’s strategic direction and development roadmap.
Cooperation between the Second Institute of Oceanography and Madagascar in the field of continental shelf delimitation has a long history. As early as 2010, Malagasy scientists visited SIO to initiate scientific exchanges. In 2021, SIO organized the China-Madagascar Joint Scientific Expedition, which obtained critical data for continental shelf delimitation and understanding the tectonic evolution of the Madagascar continental margin. Subsequent cooperation included technical training, data processing workshops, and the China-Madagascar Continental Margin Seminar. In 2023, SIO officially transferred the joint expedition data to Madagascar and conducted a dedicated data-processing training program, which received formal appreciation from the Ministry of Mines of Madagascar.
The inauguration of the China-Madagascar Joint Laboratory on Continental Shelf Research marks a new stage in bilateral cooperation-transforming collaboration from individual projects to an institutionalized and deeper scientific partnership. Under the joint stewardship of the Second Institute of Oceanography and the National Office of Mines and Strategic Industries of Madagascar, the Laboratory will serve as a significant platform for China-Africa marine science cooperation and is expected to become a new highlight in advancing scientific and technological collaboration in the region.