CIDCA vice-chairman addresses blue economy cooperation sub-forum at 2nd China-Indian Ocean Region Forum on Development Cooperation

From Dec 7 to 8, 2023, the Second China-Indian Ocean Region Forum on Development Cooperation, co-hosted by the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) and the people's government of Southwest China's Yunnan province, was held in Kunming, capital of Yunnan. 

Vice-chairman of the CIDCA Zhao Fengtao attended and addressed the sub-forum themed on cooperation in the blue economy in the region, one of the four parallel sub-forums of the event.

In his address, Zhao pointed out that the ocean is the cradle of life and link between the continents, and that the blue economy is an important foundation and engine for sustainable development. China has put forward the initiative of jointly building the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road and the Global Development Initiative (GDI), which closely align with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, to promote the development of the blue economy, he said.

China's actions are louder than its words, Zhao said. China has been working to expand its partnerships and has initiated the GDI Group of Friends at the UN, drawing the participation of over 70 countries, more than10 of which are in the Indian Ocean region, and providing a platform for blue economy cooperation, he noted. 

In an effort to pool development resources, China has upgraded the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund by increasing its funding capital to $4 billion, established a project pool and a funding pool for global development, and raised $12 billion as a special fund, covering all 17 sustainable development goals, Zhao said. 

China has also been working to enhance development capacity of all parties by offering 100,000 training opportunities, 30,000 of which have been taken by personnel from over 20 countries in the Indian Ocean region, to inject fresh impetus into blue economy cooperation, according to Zhao.

He also underscored the huge potential for blue economy development in the Indian Ocean region, and said that China is ready to, under the guidance of the vision of a maritime community with a shared future, increase resource input for global development cooperation, and work with all parties to unleash the potential of the blue economy, promote maritime connectivity, build blue partnerships, and upgrade maritime governance, to jointly address challenges and promote blue prosperity.

Nearly 100 representatives from governments and international organizations, and experts held in-depth exchanges and reached positive consensus on promoting the development of the blue economy and jointly improving the well-being of the ocean.