On the afternoon of September 13, 2022, China Oceanic Development Foundation (CODF) was invited to China International Communications Group (CICG) for discussion and signing of a strategic cooperation agreement. The delegation of CODF firstly visited the achievements exhibition of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Foreign Languages Press and the history exhibition of CICG. Subsequently, both sides had deep discussions and jointly identified priorities of future cooperation. Mr. Lv Bin, President of CODF, Mr. Pan Xinchun, Vice President and Secretary-General of CODF, Mr. Du Zhanyuan, President of CICG, Mr. Gao Anming, Vice President and Editor-in-Chief of CICG, Mr. Wang Xiaohui, Editor-in-Chief of China Internet Information Center (CIIC) and other leaders attended the discussion and signing ceremony.

The picture shows the signing ceremony between CODF and CICG

Mr. Lv Bin, President of CODF, expressed his  congratulations on the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Foreign Languages Press and the change of its external name from China International Publishing Group (CIPG) to China International Communications Group (CICG). He said that after more than one year of development since the visit last year, CODF has also made encouraging achievements. Firstly, CODF was awarded the honor of “National Advanced Social Organization” by the Ministry of Civil Affairs of the People’s Republic of China at the beginning of this year, becoming the only social organization to be awarded this honor in the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR). Secondly, three projects led or participated in by CODF were included  in the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030), which has laid a solid foundation for the worldwide implementation of CODF’s Program on Marine Spatial Planning that is being carried out in 18 Maritime Silk Road countries now. Thirdly, another Program named “Donating Ocean Library, Cultivating Young Talents” conducted by CODF has been carried out in 57 schools across the country, directly benefiting more than 250,000 students and donating hundreds of thousands of books; more than 200 students been admitted to ocean universities and won our "Inspirational Deep Blue" scholarship. Fourthly, the Program on Coastal Cleanup named “Protecting the Beautiful Coastline, We Act Together” was awarded as “the Excellent Publicity Project of the 2021 Natural Resources Theme Day” by MNR in April this year; Currently, this program has been held for five consecutive year, covering 11 coastal provinces, having more than 120 cities, more than 1000 organizations, no less than 50000 volunteers and more than 300 news media participated in the activities, organizing more than 500 special activities such as the exhibition, forum, seminar, lecture, and performances, and publishing related reports more than 800 times. Fifth, the Program named “Ocean-related Diplomatic Knowledge into University Lecture” jointly hosted by CODF, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Education is being carried out in Peking University and other universities in an orderly manner; in August this year, the first " National Summer Camp for College Students" was held in Hainan. In addition, the project “Telling China's Ocean Story Well”, which CODF has jointly launched with CII, is making great progressing as well.

Mr. Du Zhanyuan, President of CICG, gave a brief introduction to the history evolution and work situation of CICG. He said, the Fourth Volume of “Xi Jinping: The Governance of China” edited by CICG, was translated into 34 languages, with a total of 170 editions, and distributed to 171 countries around the world. He noted that CICG, with its extensive external communication channels and strong publicity advantages, should combine with the professional marine background of CODF, continue to give full play to their respective advantages and explore new areas, directions and key points of cooperation on the basis of established cooperation.

Mr. Pan Xinchun, Vice President and Secretary-General of CODF, said that CODF has held many big well known domestic and international events and achieved great success in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Education, etc. Next, CODF and CICG can jointly host international conference, make good use of international relations with the 18 Maritime Silk Road countries and the Pacific Islands Development Forum (PIDF) that the CODF has been deeply committed to, take advantage of CICG on the multi-lingual, multi-media and multi-platform international communication, jointly disseminate China's proposals and wisdom on ocean governance, serve the Belt and Road Initiative as it takes root in all partner countries, and use their cultural thinking and language to tell good Chinese stories.

Subsequently, under the witness of President Lv Bin and President Du Zhanyuan, Pan Xinchun, Vice President and Secretary-General of CODF and Gao Anming, Vice President and Editor-in-Chief of CICG, signed the agreement. After the signing of the agreement, CODF and CICG will carry out cooperation on “Implementing important instructions for building a strong country and strengthening international communication cooperation”, “Strengthening think tank research and personnel training and deepening international cooperation” and “Jointly building a platform for ocean publicity and facilitating international ocean communication”.

In the end, President Du Zhanyuan presented the Fourth Volume of “Xi Jinping: The Governance of China” (in English and Chinese) and its commemorative card to President Lv Bin. Wang Min, Director of the Administrative Office of CODF (Finance Department), Li Yan, Head of Maritime Silk Road Department of CODF, Yu Yunquan, President of Contemporary China and the World Institute of CICG, Xin Feng, Director of Comprehensive Business Department of CICG, Liu Shuangyan, Director of International Cooperation Department of CICG, and Xie Peng, Director of Cooperation and Coordination Division of International Cooperation Department of CICG attended the discussion and signing ceremony.