China-Thailand Joint Project Blue Citizen Engagement held in Xiamen and Trat

The China-Thailand Joint Project Blue Citizen Engagement was held on June 22, simultaneously in the coastal city of Xiamen, East China's Fujian province and in Trat, the capital of Trat province, Eastern Thailand.

Relevant government officials, experts from business and academia, as well as over 300 citizens from both sides participated in the event .

With the theme of ‘Promoting Marine Debris Reduction and Blue Economy’, this year’s event included a variety of activities, such as a Blue Citizen Engagement, a mangrove adventure and a beach clean-up campaign in Xiamen, as well as a Blue Economy Development seminar, and a beach clean-up campaign in Trat.

“Promoting the Blue Citizenship Initiative is the implementment of the Global Development Initiative in the marine field. We will be committed to the people-centered approach helping people understand marine well-being, improve their ocean literacy, and share the fruits of marine sustainable development,” said Wu Jun, vice director general of the Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Natural Resources.

Pirawat Atsavapranee, the Royal Thai Consulate General in Xiamen , said at the opening ceremony that he is looking forward to a cooperation between China and Thailand in the coordinated development of marine economy and ecological environment for the interest and well-being of people of both countries.

“The city of Xiamen will continue to use various platforms for international marine cooperation to promote the cooperation between cities that support the Blue Citizenship Initiative, and will make joint efforts with other cities for the marine awareness of people from around the world,” said Lin Huaiyuan, chief engineer of Xiamen Ocean Development Bureau.

Cai Feng, director of the Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, said that the institute will support the Blue Citizenship Initiative on the basis of marine research and innovation, making contributions to building a modern word where between humanity and nature exist in harmony.

As one of events for the APEC 2022 Thailand, the China-Thailand Joint Project Blue Citizen Engagement was co-organized by the APEC Marine Sustainable Development Center, the Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen Ocean Development Bureau, Xiamen Marine International Cooperation Center, and Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment(Thailand).

The Blue Citizenship Initiative was first proposed in 2019 by the APEC Marine Sustainable Development Center to address marine debris and raise public’s ocean literacy.