On November 2, the Hon. Clare Scriven MLC, South Australia’s Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, led a delegation to Ocean University of China (OUC). Wang Weidong, Assistant President of OUC, met with the delegation at the university’s West Coast Campus. The two sides held talks on strengthening exchanges and cooperation in food science, marine science, and aquaculture.
Assistant President Wang welcomed Minister Scriven and her delegation. He gave a brief overview of OUC’s history and distinctive strengths and reviewed the solid foundation for cooperation between OUC and universities and research institutions in South Australia. He noted that each side had its own strengths and that there was considerable scope for cooperation. He expressed the hope that the visit would serve as an opportunity to strengthen communication and coordination with South Australia, advance joint research in marine food processing, aquaculture, and the genetics and breeding of marine organisms, and contribute to deeper and more substantive educational cooperation and friendly exchanges between China and Australia.
Minister Scriven thanked OUC for its warm hospitality. She noted that 2026 marked the 40th anniversary of the South Australia-Shandong sister-state relationship. She said that her delegation’s visit to Shandong and OUC offered an important opportunity to deepen practical cooperation in agri-food and fisheries research. She expressed the hope that the visit would mark a new starting point for stronger exchanges and cooperation in marine food science, bioproduct research and development, and other fields between OUC and partners in South Australia, including the state government, universities, and research institutions, with a view to achieving mutual benefit.
At the meeting, Chang Yaoguang, Vice Dean of the College of Food Science and Engineering, gave an overview of the College’s marine food research and talent development. After the meeting, the delegation visited the College’s Analysis and Testing Center and relevant laboratories. The two sides reached a preliminary consensus on advancing joint research.
