BEIJING, Sept. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2025 Global Ocean Development Forum opened recently in Qingdao City, east China's Shandong Province, drawing nearly 700 delegates from 71 countries and regions, including representatives from international organizations, government agencies, enterprises and academia.

The forum focused on cooperation in key areas such as marine economy, technology, governance, and culture to promote global maritime sustainability.

During the opening ceremony, the secretariat of the Cities with the Ocean Platform of the United Nations (UN) Ocean Decade was officially launched in Qingdao's West Coast New Area. Several significant outcomes were also released, including the 2025 China Ocean Development Index.

Relevant data showed that Shandong Province's gross ocean product exceeded 1.8 trillion yuan in 2024. The value-added of its 15 major marine industries ranked first in China for five consecutive years, with seven industries including marine fisheries and marine transportation leading the nation.

The forum featured 11 events, including an opening ceremony and main forum, a mayors' dialogue on ocean cities, four parallel sessions, and five themed activities.

In recent years, Shandong Province has integrated the development of a strong marine economy into its key strategies. It has issued an ocean industry sci-tech innovation action plan and established platforms such as the UN Ocean Decade International Cooperation Center to deepen global marine collaboration.

The forum was co-hosted by the People's Government of Shandong Province and the Ministry of Natural Resources of China.

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