From December 23 to 24, 2019, the 3rd Steering Committee Meeting of FIO-POI China-Russia Joint Research Center of Ocean and Climate (hereinafter referred to as JRCOC) was held in Vladivostok, Russia. The meeting coincides with the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia and is highly valued by both sides. Nine important Chinese members attended the meeting, including Li Tiegang, Director of the First Institute of Oceanography of the Ministry of Natural Resources (FIO, MNR), Qin Weijia, Director of Chinese Arctic and Antarctic Administration (CAA), Ms. Ning Jia from the International Cooperation Department of MNR, Zheng Wei, Deputy Director of the Division of International Cooperation of FIO, MNR, and Shi Xuefa, Director of the Lab of Marine Geology and Geophysics of FIO. Ten important Russian members including Vyacheslav Lobanov, Director of the Pacific Oceanological Institute (POI) of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (FEB RAS), Professor Sergey Gorbarenko, Professor Anatoly Astakhov, and Professor Igor Semiletov attended the meeting. Deputy Consul General Wang Xuechun and Consul Miao Fei of the Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in Vladivostok, Russia were invited to attend the meeting.

At the opening ceremony, Director Li Tiegang of FIO, Director Lobanov of POI, and Deputy Consul General Wang Xuechun delivered speeches with great passion. Director Li Tiegang pointed out that JRCOC is the first cooperation platform in the field of oceanological scientific research established between China and Russia. Since its inception, both sides have carried out practical and fruitful cooperation in joint oceanological scientific research, collaborative research, and personnel exchanges. FIO will continue to support the operation and development of JRCOC. On behalf of POI, Director Lobanov extended a warm welcome to the Chinese delegation and introduced the recent developments of POI. He expressed that JRCOC is well-oiled and that the establishment of JRCOC has enhanced mutual trust and friendship between the two sides and has strongly promoted the cooperative research between the two sides in high latitude seas. He suggested that more Chinese and Russian research institutions and scientists participate in the construction of JRCOC. Deputy Consul General Wang Xuechun pointed out in his speech that the scientific and technological cooperation between China and Russia has developed rapidly. In the past 30 years, scientific and technological cooperation between China and Russia has made remarkable achievements, greatly benefiting the peoples of the two countries. Cooperation in the marine and polar fields has been a priority among scientific and technological cooperation between the two countries. FIO of China and POI of Russia have played an important role in such cooperation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China will continue to support and attach importance to more in-depth cooperation between the two sides. Deputy Consul General Wang Xuechun suggested that the series of activities of JRCOC be listed on the agenda of the Year of Russian-Chinese Scientific, Technical and Innovation Cooperation in 2020-2021.

Scene of the Steering Committee Meeting

The main tasks of the meeting were to consider the annual work report 2019 and the work plan 2020-2021 of JRCOC. Attendees listened to the annual work reports made by the Director and Deputy Director of JRCOC. Over the past year, JRCOC has achieved remarkable results. Especially on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia, JRCOC successfully organized and implemented the 7th China-Russia Joint Cruise in the Sea of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk, and published a number of high-level papers, which have further consolidated and deepened the practical cooperation between the two sides. The attendees highly affirmed the achievements made by JRCOC over the past year and held in-depth discussions on the construction and key work of JRCOC in the future. Both the Chinese side and Russian side agreed to further strengthen the capacity-building of JRCOC and strive to build JRCOC into an open platform for cooperation and exchange between scientific researchers in the marine and polar fields of China and Russia. It is delighted to see that more scientific research institutions and scientists from the two countries will participate in the work of JRCOC. In addition, both sides agreed to continue to carry out more in-depth cooperation in personnel exchanges, joint scientific research, collaborative research, and joint seminars, and suggested that the series of activities of JRCOC be listed on the agenda of the Year of Russian-Chinese Scientific, Technical and Innovation Cooperation in 2020-2021. Both sides believed that the development plan of JRCOC for the next five years should be drawn up as soon as possible in combination with the medium and long-term development needs of the two countries.

Director Qin Weijia briefly introduced the main functions of CAA and China's polar work plan during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. Director Qin Weijia was deeply impressed by the cooperation already carried out by JRCOC. He spoke highly of the achievements of China-Russia joint cruise in the Arctic organized and implemented by the JRCOC, believed that the cooperative research between China and Russia has greatly promoted and deepened the research work in the polar field between the two countries, and expressed that CAA will strongly support the China-Russian joint cruise and research work in the future. In her speech, Ms. Ning Jia from International Cooperation Department of MNR pointed out that MNR attaches great importance to the cooperation between China and Russia in the marine and polar fields and that MNR will continue to support JRCOC to play a greater role in the oceanological scientific research cooperation between China and Russia and the construction of the Polar Silk Road.

Director Li Tiegang of FIO and professor Anatoly Astakhov made discussions and exchanges

In accordance with the operations and management regulations of JRCOC, the leadership change of JRCOC was carried out at the Steering Committee Meeting. Researcher Shi Xuefa of FIO, MNR was selected to serve as the new Director of JRCOC, and Professor Sergey Gorbarenko of POI to serve as the new Deputy Director of JRCOC.

JRCOC was jointly established by FIO, MNR and POI, FEB RAS in Vladivostok, Russia, in September 2017. With the goals of further expanding the cooperative research between China and Russia in the marine field, improving the level of oceanological science and technology of the two countries, deepening the understanding of key marine processes and climate effects, enhancing the ability of the two countries to jointly deal with climate change and implement marine disaster prevention and mitigation, protecting the marine environment and promoting the sustainable utilization of marine resources, JRCOC focuses on providing scientific and technological support for the Polar Silk Road strategy proposed by the governments of the two countries.