China-led report: APEC's first on sustainable marine development

As one of the important outcomes of the fourth Ocean-Related Ministerial Meeting that ended on Thursday in Xiamen, Fujian province, the APEC Marine Sustainable Development Report makes a step forward in China's international marine cooperation, said Liu Yan, an expert at the State Oceanic Administration, in an interview with China Daily.

The report was endorsed at this year's annual meeting of the Ocean and Fisheries Working Group in May. It is the first APEC report on sustainable marine development and also the first time that China took the lead to compile such a comprehensive document under the APEC framework, Liu said.

The report "provides an opportunity for the Ocean and Fisheries Working Group and participating economies to reflect on and share experiences in this important area" as well as "lay the foundations for future collective efforts to improve systematic and detailed evaluation of sustainable marine development, including the marine ecosystem and relevant fisheries resources, blue economy, disaster resilience and other environmental, social and economic aspects that APEC economies consider important".