The China–Pacific Island Countries Forum on Fisheries Cooperation and Development and the China–Pacific Island Countries Forum on Tripartite Cooperation were held in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province on May 10. Ma Youxiang, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, attended the opening ceremony and addressed the forums.  

Vice Minister Ma said that holding the two forums is a concrete means of following up the China–Pacific Island Countries Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers Meeting 2023. He said China is ready to join hands with Pacific Island Countries to build closer agricultural and fishery cooperation based on the fruitful cooperation of recent years.

First, China will make sustained efforts to improve the cooperation mechanisms, and see to it that the China-Pacific Island Countries Forum on Fisheries Cooperation and Development would function as a long-term platform for cooperation. China and the Pacific Island Countries should make systematic plans concerning the direction and priorities for cooperation and development, and facilitate the integrated development of agriculture and fishery-related industries.  

Second, China will adhere to green development and deepen cooperation in investigating and monitoring fishery resources and in combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishery activities. China will use the South–South Cooperation Trust Fund in agriculture to implement capacity-building projects to promote the sustainable development of the tropical agriculture and fishery industries.  

Third, China will deepen S&T cooperation, enhance technical training and personnel exchange, and expand applicable technology demonstration, with a focus on breeding, planting, equipment and facilities, processing and distribution.  

Fourth, China will expand economic and trade cooperation by promoting investment cooperation in tropical agriculture, fishing, aquaculture, agricultural and fishery product processing, cold chain logistics, fishing vessel repair and construction, and fishing harbor construction, and facilitating market access and free trade.   

Wang Hui, Vice Governor of Jiangsu Province, attended the Forum and delivered a speech. Attendees also included Qian Bo, Special Envoy for Pacific Island Countries Affairs of the Chinese Government, ministers of agriculture and fisheries and diplomatic envoys of eight Pacific Island Countries, and representatives of international organizations such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the Pacific Islands Forum.