Innovation 'essential for maritime collaboration'

A new wave of international cooperation, with an emphasis on innovation and boosting the blue economy to better utilize resources, is the focus of maritime authorities, a leading specialist said.

"The importance of marine technology innovation and the marine economy has increased significantly, given the growing contribution of the sectors to domestic and regional development and the economy," Zhang Haiwen, director general of the International Cooperation Department of the State Oceanic Administration, told China Daily ahead of the fourth APEC Ocean-Related Ministerial Meeting.

She called for APEC economies to strengthen cooperation in these sectors, which have the potential to open up new avenues of growth and employment, and show how natural resources can be used in an efficient and environmentally friendly way.