On May 11, a delegation from Pacific Island countries visited Qingdao for an in-depth discussion on multilateral cooperation. Mr. Zhao Haozhi, Mayor of Qingdao, met with the delegation and Prof. Yu Zhigang, President of OUC, attended the meeting. During the meeting, President Yu Zhigang and President Transform Aqorau of the Solomon Islands National University (SINU) signed a strategic cooperation agreement.  

On May 12, the ministers of agriculture and fisheries of Solomon Islands, the Republic of Kiribati and the Independent State of Papua New Guinea visited OUC. President Yu Zhigang, Vice President Liu Yong and Ms. Lin Bin, Deputy Secretary-General of CPC Qingdao Municipal Committee, attended the meeting.

Prof. Yu extended a warm welcome to the delegation and gave a brief introduction to OUC. He pointed out that as an important partner of Pacific Island Countries, China has been holding a positive attitude towards the development of friendly and cooperative relations with Pacific Island countries in response to President Xi Jinping’s call for building a closer community with a shared future with Pacific Island countries. OUC has distinctive strengths in oceanography and fisheries, and the Pacific Island countries are endowed with abundant marine resources. It was expected that OUC could engage in substantive cooperation with universities, research institutes and businesses in the Pacific Island countries. Areas of cooperation such as global climate change, marine spatial planning, aquatic breeding and culture, and fisheries resources development should be identified. A joint education and research center could be established to support key cooperation projects, and integrate talent cultivation with technological innovation and transformation, so as to achieve tangible results that will promote socioeconomic development and benefit the peoples. 

The Hon. Nestor Giro, Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources of Solomon Islands, expressed his gratitude to the university for the warm reception. He said that the Solomon Islands government attaches great importance to the development of marine industry and cooperation with China in related fields. The strategic agreement signed between OUC and SINU is a milestone, which marks the beginning of further cooperation between the two sides in scientific research.

The Hon. Ruateki Tekaiara, Minister of Environment, Lands and Agricultural Development of the Republic of Kiribati, extended sincere gratitude to OUC for accepting students from Kiribati. He pointed out that human resource development is one of the top priorities of the government. He hoped that more students from Kiribati would be able to study at OUC in the future.

Dr. Nelson Simbiken, Acting Secretary of the Department of Agriculture of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, expressed his hope for exchange and cooperation with OUC in nurturing sea cucumber and seaweed industries, developing blue economy and tackling global challenges such as climate change, sea level rise, coastal erosion and renewable energy use. He also hoped that more students from Papua New Guinea would come to study at OUC in the future.