IOCAS has built up international cooperation and exchange programs with marine research institutions, universities, organizations and governments from over 20 countries, including USA, Canada, France, German, Italy, Russia, Spain, UK, Australia, Norway, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, and Singapore. There are 29 scientists from IOCAS representing China holding various positions in many major international scientific organizations. In the past years, IOCAS hosted several international scientific conferences including the 11th International Seaweed Symposium, the 5th International Phycological Congress, the 4th International Conference on Asia Marine Geology, and the 5th Asia-Pacific Conference on Algae Biotechnology. Since 2001, IOCAS has been selected by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (MOST) as a hosting institute for workshop and training in mariculture and marine drug research for the third world countries. In recent years, IOCAS led and participated in about 50 international programs such as Sino-Japan East China Sea Marine Flux Studies, Sino-American Ocean Current and Sedimentation Studies in the South Yellow Sea, Sino-Norwegian Marine Bio-Disease Prevention, TOGA-COARE International Joint Laboratory Research, Sino-South Korean Joint Investigation on the Yellow Sea, Sino-Japan Marine Corrosion Environment and Control Studies, and the EU 6th Framework Program.