From September 9 to 10, 2019, the 6th Joint Committee Meeting of Thailand-China on Marine Cooperation and the 9th Steering Committee Meeting of Thailand-China Joint Laboratory for Climate and Marine Ecosystem kicked off in Bangkok, Thailand. Representatives of natural resources and marine departments of China and Thailand totaling more than 50 were present at the meetings. They discussed in depth issues concerning marine cooperation and reached a broad consensus on these issues, which laid a solid foundation for both countries to deepen marine cooperation. Mr. Wang Qian, Deputy Director of the International Department of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Mr. Qiao Fangli, Deputy Director of the First Institute of Oceanography of the Ministry of Natural Resources (FIO, MNR) acted as the chairperson of the two meetings respectively. 

At the two-day meetings, representatives present listened to the 2019 annual report and 2020 work plan of the Thailand-China Joint Laboratory for Climate and Marine Ecosystem (“Thailand-China Joint Laboratory” for short). Later, heads of eight China-Thailand marine cooperation projects and six sub-projects reported the latest project progress. Delegations of both sides expressed their satisfaction at the operation of the Thailand-China Joint Laboratory and the research results the laboratory has achieved in the cooperation projects. They decided to continuously implement related cooperation projects. Given that both countries show a common interest in spatial planning, both countries, as proposed by the Chinese side, agreed to carry out cooperation in marine spatial planning and further promote the establishment of marine data center. After comprehensive discussion, delegations of both sides approved in principle the second Five Year Plan (2019-2023) for China-Thailand marine cooperation, and decided to submit the Plan to the ministers of natural resources of both countries for final approval and signature as soon as possible after the meetings. Besides, the arrangement of director and deputy director candidates of the Thailand-China Joint Laboratory was approved during the meetings. According to the arrangement, Dr. Liu Shengfa at the FIO, MNR is going to hold the post of director and Dr. Charatsee Aungtonya at the Phuket Marine Biological Center deputy director. Moreover, both sides agreed to hold the 10th Steering Committee Meeting of Thailand-China Joint Laboratory for Climate and Marine Ecosystem and the 7th Joint Committee Meeting of Thailand-China on Marine Cooperation in China in 2020 and 2021 respectively. 

Both China and Thailand are important maritime nations. Both sides hold a general consensus on the response to climate change, marine resources development and protection, marine disaster prevention and mitigation and sustainable development, among other fields. During 2011 and 2013, in the presence of leaders of both countries, the State Oceanic Administration of China and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Thailand signed a series of crucial cooperation documents, opening up a new chapter of bilateral maritime cooperation. These include the Memorandum on Maritime Cooperation between the State Oceanic Administration of China and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Kingdom of Thailand, the Arrangement on Establishing Thailand-China Joint Laboratory for Climate and Marine Ecosystem between the State Oceanic Administration of China and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Kingdom of Thailand, and the Five-year Plan for Maritime Cooperation between the State Oceanic Administration of China and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Kingdom of Thailand (2014-2018). On June 6, 2013, the Thailand-China Joint Laboratory was officially established in Phuket, Thailand. It is committed to building into a national platform of bilateral marine cooperation, and comprehensively facilitating the bilateral marine science and technology cooperation, the protection of marine ecological environment and the sustainable development of marine resources. Under the framework of the Five-year Plan for Maritime Cooperation between the State Oceanic Administration of China and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Kingdom of Thailand (2014-2018), the Thailand-China Joint Laboratory has implemented a lot of cooperation projects and made rich achievements. In addition, bilateral personnel exchange has become more frequently. The laboratory sets an example for China and other ASEAN countries to carry out pragmatic marine cooperation. From 2012 to 2018, China and Thailand successfully held five joint committee meetings of Thailand-China on marine cooperation and eight steering committee meetings of Thailand-China Joint Laboratory for Climate and Marine Ecosystem, which guaranteed the operation of the Thailand-China Joint Laboratory, the management of cooperation projects and personnel exchange and training.

Venue of the 9th Steering Committee Meeting of Thailand-China Joint Laboratory for Climate and Marine EcosystemGroup photo of the participants at the 6th Joint Committee Meeting of Thailand-China on Marine CooperationMinutes signed at the 6th Joint Committee Meeting of Thailand-China on Marine Cooperation