The First Ocean Decade International Coastal Cities Conference kicks off in Qingdao West Coast New Area on Feb 26. [Photo/WeChat account: qd12301]

The First Ocean Decade International Coastal Cities Conference kicked off in Qingdao West Coast New Area on Feb 26, with nearly 400 global experts in ocean-related fields gathering to discuss the development of ocean cities.

The conference aims to deepen global consensus on over 20 critical ocean-related topics, including ocean city resilience, tsunami disaster warnings, marine spatial planning, marine biodiversity conservation, port construction, and the blue economy.

Furthermore, the conference will see the release of a series of public products such as the "Cities with the ocean" platform's annual progress report, the announcement of new members of the platform, and the hosting of youth advocacy events, aiming to engage in dialogue on sustainable ocean development with more diverse groups and boost the development of ocean cities worldwide.

By combining online and offline methods, the conference seeks to break geographical barriers, enabling global ocean partners to participate in real-time interactions and providing crucial support for the sustainable development of ocean cities.