The China-Myanmar joint marine science research launched. (People.cn/Li Bingxin)

The launching ceremony of a joint marine science research with Chinese research vessel Xiangyanghong 06 was held by China and Myanmar at Myanmar's Thilawa port on February 13, 2020, marking a significant step forward in the cooperation between China and Myanmar. Officials and experts from the Second Institute of Oceanography under the Ministry of Natural Resources of China (MNR), Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, Myanmar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment Conservation attended the ceremony.

According to the agreement, the Chinese research vessel Xiangyanghong 06 will conduct joint research with Myanmar on ocean and ecology at Myanmar Exclusive Economic Zone in 2020. 32 researchers from Myanmar’s Department of Meteorology and Hydrology, Department of Fisheries, Department of Environmental Conservation, Myanmar Maritime University (MMU) and other higher education institutions, as well as North China Sea Branch (Qingdao) of the MNR, China’s National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center (NMEFC), Nanjing University, Xiamen University, Zhejiang University and other institutions will work together on marine hydrology, meteorology, chemistry, biology and other subjects over a span of 10 days.

Myanmar officials wishing the joint marine science research a success. (People.cn/Li Bingxin)

Zhou Feng, researcher from the Second Institute of Oceanography under MNR and chief scientist in the research group, said that what “joint” means here is that on the one hand, the research would be jointly conducted with countries related to Maritime Silk Road, including local institutions and researchers. On the other hand, this research is a joint project led by scholars and researchers from multiple institutions and disciplines in China and Myanmar. Marine and ecological problems nowadays cover multiple disciplines and can’t be completely resolved with merely knowledge in one subject or by a single institution. From an international perspective, cross disciplinary collaboration will guide the direction for the development of marine science.

Myanmar scholars look forward to further cooperation. (People.cn/Li Bingxin)

A Burmese scholar expressed that Myanmar is now paying close attention to marine ecology, but currently doesn’t have enough capability in marine science research. Meanwhile, China is already at the forefront of the world in this field. Through this joint research, by utilizing the equipment and tools from China, the researchers from Myanmar can have a clearer understanding of the situation of offshore waters and share relevant findings with their Chinese counterparts. Furthermore, in the future, they can conduct more scientific researches with China in order to cultivate more scientific research talents.

The officials of the two nations also said that 2020 marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Myanmar. The two countries should further deepen all-round cooperation, jointly carry out scientific research and share the outcomes that are based on cooperation, mutual benefit and win-win. (Compiled by Fu Yihan, Zhang Xinfeng)