The 2025 Global Ocean Development Forum, co-hosted by the Shandong Provincial People's Government and the Ministry of Natural Resources, opened in Qingdao West Coast Area (Qingdao WCNA) on Sept 8.

Under the theme "Let's see our futures: Developing a sustainable marine economy for a thriving ocean", the forum aims to expand multilateral marine collaboration and foster blue partnerships, contributing to a shared future for the ocean.

The forum includes plenaries, four parallel sessions focusing on artificial intelligence, ports, biomedicine, and youth talent, and five industry-academia matchmaking events covering marine minerals, equipment, environmental protection, and smart ocean technologies.

At the opening session, the establishment of the UN Decade of Ocean Science Coastal Cities Platform Secretariat was announced. Key reports were also released, such as the 2025 China Ocean Development Index, the 2024 Greater Bay Area Marine Ecological Status Report, and the Qingdao Initiative on Ocean Youth Talent.

As China's ninth national-level new area and the only one in Shandong focusing on the marine economy, Qingdao WCNA plays a strategic role in strengthening marine development, recording a marine-related GDP of 210 billion yuan ($29.42 billion) in 2024, accounting for 40.6 percent of Qingdao's and 11.8 percent of Shandong province's total marine GDP.

The 2025 Global Ocean Development Forum, co-hosted by the Shandong Provincial People's Government and the Ministry of Natural Resources, opens in Qingdao WCNA on Sept 8. [Photo/Photo/WeChat account: qdxihaianfabu]