On 10 November 2022, the World Estuarine Cities Conference for Cooperation and Development was held in Dongying City, Shandong Province. 

Mr. Zhang Qingli, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Mr. Li Ganjie, Secretary of the CPC Shandong Provincial Committee, and Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Shandong Provincial People’s Congress attended and addressed the opening ceremony of the Conference. H.E. Mr. Shi Zhongjun, Secretary-General of the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), attended the Conference upon invitation.

Secretary-General Shi noted that 2022 is the first year after the establishment of ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, and also the second ASEAN-China Year of Sustainable Development Cooperation. Sustainable development has always been an important area of ASEAN-China cooperation. Guided by the concept of comprehensive, coordinated and sustainable development which is characterised by putting people first, ASEAN and China have deepened and strengthened cooperation in green and low-carbon development, clean energy, climate change, and ecological protection, and work together to lead the sustainable development process in the region. The World Estuarine Cities Conference for Cooperation and Development held in Dongying provides a new platform for exchanges and cooperation between ASEAN Member States (AMS) and Shandong Province. ACC will continue to play the role of a bridge to support, publicise and participate in the exchanges and cooperation between AMS and Shandong Province in various fields, so as to contribute to the steady and sound development of ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Representatives of Yangon and Mawlamyine in Myanmar, Songkhla Province in Thailand and other AMS estuarine cities shared their experiences and best practices in promoting ecological protection and high-quality development online.

On the sidelines of the Conference, Secretary-General Shi gave interviews to the mainstream media of Shandong Province and Dongying City. He said that the concept of “Estuarine Cities” is proposed for the first time at the Conference. This Conference marks a new stage of cooperation between estuarine cities and highlights the vision of ecological environmental protection and high-quality development. It is of far-reaching significance to the research and future development of estuarine cities as well as the cooperation between the world estuarine cities.