From July 8 to 9, the annual meeting of Sino-Indonesia Marine Ranching Program jointly hosted by the Institute of Oceanology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IOCAS) and Indonesian National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) was held in Qingdao. Prof. WANG Fan, Director of IOCAS, Prof. Ocky Karna Radjasa, Dean of Research Organization of Earth Sciences and Maritime of BRIN, Prof. Udhi Hernawan, Director of Research Center for Oceanography of National Research and Innovation Agency (RCO-BRIN), and YU Rencheng, Director of Sino-Indonesia Joint Laboratory for Marine Sciences, attended the meeting. More than 30 representatives from scientific research institutions from both sides participated in the meeting.
Prof. WANG Fan delivered the opening speech, reviewing the achievements of the program in terms of joint cruises, personnel exchanges, student training, and output. He hoped that both sides would continue to carry out effective cooperation and create an excellent example of Sino-Indonesia marine scientific research cooperation. Prof. Ocky Radjasa highly praised achievements of the program, expressed sincere gratitude to the scientists from both sides for their efforts, and introduced the latest reform and adjustment of BRIN. Prof. Udhi Hernawan gave an annual work report, which provided an overall introduction to the operation of Sino-Indonesia Joint Laboratory for Marine Sciences, the 2026 work plan, and the urgent issues that need to be addressed.
Prof. Dirhamsyah, the head of the Indonesian side of the joint laboratory, reported in detail on the implementation progress and program management. Chinese Executive Director WANG Zheng shared the highlights of cooperation between the two sides in the waters around Lombok, as well as plans for future scientific research cooperation and talent cultivation.
Scientists from both sides gave presentations and engaged in discussions on key scientific topics such as ocean dynamics, marine ecology and biodiversity, seaweed and marine aquaculture. After the meeting, the Indonesian delegation visited Guzhenkou campus of IOCAS, Marine Biological Museum and Ocean Big Data Center.
Since its implementation in 2023, the Sino-Indonesia Marine Ranching Program has achieved fruitful results, significantly enhancing Indonesia's scientific capabilities in marine resource monitoring and management, promoting the research and application of ocean technologies such as remote sensing and ocean observation, and effectively promoting the blue economy initiative centered on sustainable fisheries and blue carbon ecosystems.
Looking ahead to the future, both sides will focus on deepening cooperation in scientific fields such as ocean dynamics, marine ecology and biodiversity, seaweed and marine aquaculture, jointly improving the two countries' marine technology capabilities, benefiting their marine economies, and contributing to the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.
(Editor: ZHANG Yiyi)