On March 30, 2019, invited by Wang Hong, a member of the party group of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Director of the State Oceanic Administration, and Li Tiegang, Director of the First Institute of Oceanography of the Ministry of Natural Resources (FIO, MNR), Sophalleth Eang, Vice Minister of the Cambodian Ministry of Environment, and his team dropped by to visit FIO during their journey to Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2019. Chinese and Cambodian sides have reached important consensus on in-depth cooperation in voyage investigation, cooperative research, mutual visits and technical training.

The Cambodian Ministry of Environment is the department to manage affairs concerning environment and marine affairs in Cambodia, and is among our important partners when we are working with the ASEAN. In recent years, FIO has maintained sound cooperative relations with the Ministry and relevant research institutes. In December 2016, our "Xiang Yang Hong 01" research vessel was used to carry out the first joint voyage investigation between China and Cambodia. From 2016 to 2018, the two sides organized and carried out multiple comprehensive coastal zone surveys, covering many disciplines including marine organism, air-sea interaction, and marine geology. Li Tiegang, Director of FIO, expressed his warm welcome to Vice Minister Sophalleth Eang and his team, reviewed the cooperation between them in recent years and expressed sincere thanks to them for their long-term support to the cooperation in maritime field. Director Li said: "FIO cherishes and attaches great importance to our good cooperative relations with Cambodian Ministry of Environment, and we are planning to further enhance our marine cooperation based on previous experience. We will work to give our support to the implementation of the second China-Cambodian joint voyage investigation in 2019, carry out the investigation on marine geology and organism, and welcome Cambodian scientists and researchers coming to FIO after the voyage to carry out sample testing, technical training and comprehensive study."

Vice Minister Sophalleth Eang expressed his pleasure to be here in FIO and to have discussions with Chinese scientists on the development orientation and cooperation content of China-Cambodia maritime cooperation. He made some positive comments on the achievements of their cooperation, and he said that he will give his all-out support to further cooperation. At present, the detailed voyage plan for China-Cambodia second joint voyage investigation has been completed and the cooperation agreement is expected to be signed in Beijing next month and then to be implemented.

At the symposium, the two sides have also put forward their vision to build a China-Cambodia Marine Science and Technology Cooperation Center and proposed to make it an important platform to support the maritime cooperation between China and Cambodia, and further promote their cooperation in more disciplines and fields, in a bid to provide scientific and technological support for the implementation of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road Initiative.

After the talks, Vice Minister Sophalleth Eang and his team, accompanied by Director Li Tiegang, visited China Ocean Sample Repository and the Marine Geology Testing Center. Those who also took part in the event are Zheng Wei, Vice Director of the International Office, Director Shi Xuefa, Deputy Director Liu Yanguang, and Associate Researcher Liu Shengfa from Laboratory of Marine Geology, and Fang Yue, Vice Director of Center for Ocean and Climate Research.

Group Photo of Participants

Exchange at Symposium

Guests Visit China Ocean Sample Repository