Sailing toward shared goals at World Ocean Week in Xiamen

The 2025 World Ocean Week in Xiamen, under the theme "New Engine of Blue Development for the Maritime Community with a Shared Future", will be held in the coastal city in Fujian province from Nov 6 to 12.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the World Ocean Week. The session will serve as a high-end international dialogue and industry matchmaking platform, and integrate cultural exchange with technological innovation. Through its diverse activities and inclusive nature, the event will showcase Xiamen's growing role and commitment as a hub for the marine sector.

The opening ceremony on Thursday is to include an interpretation of China's practices in marine governance and Xiamen's marine economic development model. A series of achievements will be released, including the APEC Marine Sustainable Development Report and two cutting-edge models: DePTH-GPT, a multimodal large model for deep-sea habitats; and SkyOcean, a full-link marine artificial intelligence-driven model integrating remote sensing, reconstruction and prediction.

The launch ceremony will announce the establishment of the China-Europe Blue Development Investment Fund, which is being founded to strengthen science, technology, business and resources between China and France.

As an example, the Xiatanwei Mangrove will demonstrate ecological restoration achieved through the joint participation of the government, civil societies and international parties.

Expanding practices

Xiamen is regarded as a pioneer of the Chinese central government's ecological civilization. Over the past 36 years, following the comprehensive management of Yundang Lake, Xiamen has been promoting in-depth ecological protection from marine areas to river basins and then expanding it to the entire region. It has become a model of building a "Beautiful China".

During the World Ocean Week, a training program on marine ecological civilization construction is to be held for officials from developing countries. It will introduce China's, especially Xiamen's, legal systems, practical work, achievements and replicable experiences in marine ecological civilization construction. This will be done through various forms such as classroom teaching, on-site teaching, case studies, seminars and visits.

The Annual General Meeting of China Marine Protection Alliance 2025 will attract representatives from domestic and foreign marine research institutions, management departments, and social organizations, addressing marine governance issues through cross-border cooperation.

Xiatanwei Mangrove Park has long been regarded as the embodiment of Xiamen's ecological civilization theory. To enhance its influence, the 2025 World Ocean Week in Xiamen has launched an ocean-themed event in collaboration with the SEE Foundation. Through the revealing of science bases, the display of ecological achievements, and a public welfare fair, the park's ecological value will be demonstrated.

Linking partners

The World Ocean Week in Xiamen has now become a key platform to serve national strategies and link global resources.

The Ministerial Seminar on Marine Management and Blue Economy Development for Belt and Road Partner Countries has attracted many government officials in the marine field. They include BRI countries and the African Union Commission.

The eighth APEC Blue Economy Workshop will invite representatives from nine member economies to share practical experiences. They will also release Asia-Pacific regional cooperation suggestions around the sustainable use of marine resources. The China-ASEAN Marine Disaster Prevention and Reduction Conference will focus on cutting-edge issues such as marine ecological disaster prevention.

Events such as the BRICS Marine Science Workshop and third BRICS Marine Sustainable Development Symposium, and the 2025 PNLGPNLC Joint Workshop on Sustainable Coastal Development will focus on issues such as the protection, development and utilization of deep-sea biological genetic resources, and integrated coastal zone management.

Innovative development

During this session of World Ocean Week, activities centering on technological innovation will be highlighted. The Fujian Ocean Innovation Center Ocean Forum 2025 will focus on original innovation and cross-border and international collaboration.

The "Application of Digital Intelligence Technology for Deep Sea Exploration" Workshop will showcase China's achievements in the field of deep-sea digitization.

Centering on policy and the legal system, Xiamen has been making efforts to provide a guarantee for the development of the marine economy.

At the legal level, Xiamen Maritime Court will launch the "Maritime Justice, Hearts with Innovation" judicial service platform and release various innovative mechanisms. It is to provide full-chain judicial protection for key industries including offshore wind power, modern fishing, and aquaculture.

Marine economic investment promotion signings and groundbreaking ceremonies of projects in the Fujian Ocean Innovation Center and the Xiamen Marine High-Tech Industrial Park Project Commencement Ceremony will also be held. The eighth International Underwater Operations and Offshore Industry Expo is to be held simultaneously.

Engaging people

The 2025 World Ocean Week in Xiamen is committed to breaking professional barriers and bringing the charm of the ocean into people's lives through a series of activities.

During this week, establishments such as Xiamen University, the Third Institute of Oceanography of Ministry of Natural Resources and Jimei University will hold the Xiamen Universities and Research Institutes' Ocean Science Open Day, expecting to attract more than 10,000 people.

The Xiamen Ocean Culture Series for Youth and Children will include marine culture gardens, ship model exhibitions, ecology-themed DIY, and popular science research tours.

The Dream of Ocean 2025 International Contemporary Art Exchange will connect sectors such as international resident creation, scientific cross-border experiments and youth education.

The Coastal Yacht Market Event will be upgraded with a 30,000-square-meter open space offering activities such as sea trips, marine concerts, night banquets and sailors' team building.

High-level events such as the 19th China Club Challenge Match and the 2025 Xiamen Recreational Boat Fishing Invitational Tournament will combine competitive passion with fantastic sights for the public.

The 2025 World Ocean Week in Xiamen features four key characteristics: a broad international perspective, deep industrial relevance, tangible achievement transformation, and strong public participation, according to its organizers.

It is co-hosted by the Xiamen Municipal People's Government, the Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen University, the United Nations Development Programme in China (UNDP China), and the Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA).