1st meeting of Chinese Academy of Sciences strategic pilot project ‘Western Pacific Ocean System: Structure, Dynamics and Consequences’ (referred to WPOS) was held in Beijing on October 25. Chief scientist Dr. Sun Song reported the overall implementation of the program and 2013 - 2014 annual work plans.
WPOS project faces to national major strategic needs and international forefront of marine science and technology, focus on western Pacific Ocean system and its adjacent seas’. To carry out a comprehensive investigation and research collaboration from the perspective of ‘Ocean system’, get breakthrough and original achievements in the research field of East Asia climate system with the impact of Indo-Pacific Warm Pool; coastal ecosystems evolution under the influence of the adjacent oceans; the environment and resources distribution of the Western Pacific deep-sea etc.. Promote the development and application of deep-sea research detection equipment, and significantly improve theoretical studies of deep sea for the protection of the marine environment information, provide scientific basis for strategic resource development, integrated ocean management, disaster prevention and mitigation. On the marine biodiversity aspects, the project will focus on relationship between seamount ecosystems structure and the environment, the Kuroshio-Sea mountains biodiversity and biological production process, hydrothermal ecosystem community characteristics etc. At the same time, to create an international high level innovation team to promote China's marine science and technology development, to provide scientific and technological support to ‘maritime power’.