Scholars from China and Southeast Asian nations called for enhanced cooperation on maritime issues on Wednesday, emphasizing the ocean's role as a strategic link for shared development and prosperity at a major regional forum.

Speaking at the China (Hainan)–ASEAN 2025 Think Tank Forum in Haikou on Wednesday, delegates said maritime ties had taken on "greater significance" as the world faced complex economic challenges. The meeting was held under the theme "Building a Blue Partnership".

Zeng Xiaoming, Party secretary of the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, said that regional cooperation is now more critical than ever. "The ocean, as a natural bond and strategic space connecting China and ASEAN, has assumed even greater significance and value," he said, outlining that the blue partnership aims to create an open and inclusive platform based on new international models of ocean cooperation, with the goal of building a high-quality 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.

He highlighted marine science and technology as vital to the blue economy, calling for joint innovation in digitalization, artificial intelligence, and green energy. This involves modernizing traditional industries like fisheries and shipping while nurturing new sectors like marine pharmaceuticals and offshore renewable energy.

Echoing the economic potential, Syuhaida Ismail, director of Research, Maritime Institute of Malaysia, said China and ASEAN nations dominate global fish catch, accounting for nearly 40 percent and over 20 percent, respectively. Key drivers in countries like Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia include fisheries and marine tourism, supported by a vast network of ports.

She proposed four concrete pathways for synergy: establishing green maritime corridors using low-emission fuels; connecting ASEAN hub ports with China's smart ports with AI and internet of things; cooperating on marine renewable energy like offshore wind; and enhancing joint ocean science research through shared centers and academic exchanges.

Further solidifying this practical cooperation, Guo Da, executive president of the Hainan Institute for Free Trade Port, proposed that Hainan is ideally positioned to be a pilot zone for a China-ASEAN blue economy common market. He pointed to Hainan's policy advantages, suggesting plans to expand imports of ASEAN seafood by allowing businesses to utilize the favorable Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership rules of origin or Hainan's tariff-free policies.

Wu Shicun, chairman of Huayang Center for Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance and chairman of the academic committee of the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, underscored the mutual need between China and ASEAN, describing the region as one of the world's most economically potent and resilient. He urged both sides to seek "certainty, stability, and predictability" through cooperation.

Wu advocated that China and ASEAN should strive to become a model for three types of cooperation: a model of multilateralism, a model for implementing the Global Development Initiative, and a model for building a "community with a shared future for the seas". This, he said, would deepen institutional cooperation and foster practical collaboration in the South China Sea.