On 14 April, the ‌League of Tropical Universities (LTU) 2025 Summit was held at Hainan University. H.E. Secretary General Shi Zhongjun of the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC) was invited to attend and addressed the Opening Ceremony. The event was graced by ‌Xie Jing, Vice Governor of Hainan Provincial People’s Government, ‌Liu Jin, National Deputy Chief Inspector of the Ministry of Education of China, diplomats envoys from tropical countries in China, representatives of LTU member institutions and delegates from international organizations including the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (‌UNESCO)‌ and the ‌United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)‌. H.E. Dr. HANG Choun Naron, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Youth, and Sport of Cambodia along with other officials from tropical nations, delivered video addresses. The Summit, with the theme ‌“Consultation, Contribution, and Shared Benefits: Towards a Shared Future of Higher Education for the Tropical Region”,‌ focused on key agendas including ‌international digital education, tropical agriculture, holistic health, cultural exchanges and green development to collaboratively plan educational and scientific advancement in tropical regions.

Shi Zhongjun highlighted the challenges that tropical regions face in fields of sustainable development, food security, public health, climate change, and environmental protection. He noted that ASEAN-China collaboration has accumulated valuable experience in these areas, offering insights for tropical regions’ cooperation. The ACC, he emphasized, always prioritizes multilateral platforms and is willing to collaborate with governments and institutions to advance practical cooperation in tropical higher education.

Xie Jing underscored Hainan’s commitment to building a Free Trade Port and a ‌International Education Innovation Island, pledging continued support for LTU to foster new breakthroughs in tropical education and research. Liu Jin pointed out that the LTU is the world’s first multilateral platform for tropical universities and research institutions, urging enhanced collaboration in talent cultivation, joint research, and cultural exchanges to address regional challenges. HANG Choun Naron emphasized Cambodia’s enthusiasm to further strengthen partnerships and resource-sharing with LTU members to provide talent support and intellectual resources to address the common challenges faced by tropical regions.

At the Opening Ceremony, the LTU released its key achievements including the League of Tropical Universities White Paper and the Collection of Science and Technology Transfer Projects of the League of Tropical Universities, accompanied by the signing of cooperation agreements among member universities.

After the Opening Ceremony, Shi Zhongjun held separate meetings with Luo Qingming, President of Hainan University, and Yang Xueqian, Vice President of Hainan Tropical Ocean University, to exchange views on leveraging the geographical advantages of universities in Hainan, focusing on disciplinary strengths, and advancing in-depth cooperation with ASEAN countries. SG Shi also visited the Rubber Production Biology Lab at Hainan University to investigate scientific research progress in tropical crops.

The LTU was initiated in November 2023 by Hainan University and the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences (CATAS) in China, along with other six founding members including the University Malaya in Malaysia. The LTU has now been joined by a total of 101 member institutions from 41 countries and regions, and has actively pursued practical cooperation, achieving significant progress in areas of talent cultivation, joint research, and academic exchanges.