China, Egypt enhance collaboration on combating marine plastic pollution

The China-Egypt Joint Laboratory for Intelligent Monitoring of Marine Plastic Pollution was unveiled on Sunday in Shanghai, aiming to strengthen collaboration between the two nations on marine science.

Led by East China Normal University in Shanghai, the project is organized by the team of Professor Li Daoji from the State Key Laboratory of Estuarine and Coastal Research at the university. It also involves the participation of Kafrelsheikh University in Egypt and Shanghai Readearth Information Technology Co Ltd.

The project is part of the key scientific and technological cooperation programs under the Belt and Road Initiative. It serves as a national-level international cooperation platform focused on the research and development of artificial intelligence technologies for marine applications.

Marine environmental pollution remains a major challenge facing global ocean governance. The two nations have built a solid foundation for cooperation in marine science and estuary and delta research, data analysis, AI and related applications.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Egypt.

The launch of the joint laboratory will further promote the in-depth integration of both sides' marine research resources, technical capabilities and regional needs. It will help establish a long-term stable and open platform for Sino-Egyptian cooperation in marine science and technology, broadening the scope of practical cooperation between the two nations.

In the future, this platform will further expand to facilitate extensive collaboration between China and African, Arabic and Global South nations, covering areas such as AI-enabled marine science and technology, ecological and environmental protection, resource development, and education, according to the university.