China-Indian Ocean forum to advance development of Global South

The Third China-Indian Ocean Region Forum on Blue Economy Development Cooperation will be held from December 15 to 17, which is expected to deepen pragmatic marine cooperation and continue to promote global sustainable development.

Under the theme of "the Future of the Blue Indian Ocean Development, Practices of the Global South", the forum will include opening and closing ceremonies as well as thematic discussions, subforums and round tables on various topics, according to the China International Development Cooperation Agency.

This year's forum features a larger scale, richer content, higher levels of engagement and stronger representation, Zhao Fengtao, deputy head of the agency, said at a news briefing on Friday.

Nearly 100 high-level representatives from various countries and international organizations have confirmed their attendance, Zhao said.

The third forum will feature a dialogue between governments and enterprises for the first time, at which representatives from Chinese, international governments, and companies will discuss feasible pathways and best practices for multi-stakeholder engagement in international development cooperation, Zhao said.

Zhao said that the forum represents China's concrete action in supporting development cooperation for the Global South, with the aim to advancing the Global Development Initiative, driving development for countries in the Global South, particularly nations in the Indian Ocean and small island developing countries.

He also viewed the forum as a key driver for sustainable development of the blue economy.

China actively shares its experience in sustainable development of the blue economy, engaging in international cooperation in various fields such as marine tourism, fisheries, seawater utilization, marine resource development, ocean transportation and marine ecological protection, Zhao said.

"Projects such as the micro-grid seawater desalination equipment in the Maldives, integrated fishery port facilities in Ghana, the port of La Libertad in El Salvador and training programs on fishery development and targeted poverty alleviation for ASEAN countries, have helped many developing countries enhance their blue economy capabilities," Zhao said.

China is willing to take this forum as an opportunity to continue sharing the achievements and experiences in marine development with other countries, promote maritime connectivity and improve ocean governance, he said.

Zhao said that disaster response and climate change are also important topics of the forum, adding that most of the nations in the Indian Ocean are developing countries facing the most direct and urgent threats from climate change and various disasters.

He said that China attaches great importance to and actively participates in disaster reduction and climate change response actions in the region, providing various types of emergency humanitarian assistance in a timely manner.

The country also carries out a series of practical cooperation through South-South cooperation mechanism to enhance development resilience of those countries, he added.

Small island countries are another group that is vulnerable to climate change. Li Ming, director-general of the Department of International Cooperation of the agency, said that China actively offers support within the framework of South-South cooperation to help those countries.

China supports the promotion and application of technologies, such as photovoltaic power, hydroelectric power, marine renewable energy, and electric vehicles in small island countries and countries in the Indian Ocean region, Li said.

China is also collaborating with the United Nations Development Programme on a climate information and early warning system, and provides training and workshops for island nations on climate change mitigation and adaptation, he said.

This year's forum will present opportunities for enhancing discussions and cooperation on climate change, Li said, adding that he believes that these discussions will deliver fruitful outcomes.