On the morning of June 8, 2024, President of the Royal Academy of Sciences of Cambodia (RASC) Song Du and his delegation visited the coastal ecological conservation and utilization innovation base of Guangxi Academy of Marine Sciences (Guangxi Mangrove Research Center) to have friendly exchanges on modern aquaculture, restoration and sustainable utilization of mangrove forests, and other aspects.

Led by Qiu Guanglong, vice president of the Academy of Marine Sciences, President Song Du and his delegation investigated the shrimp pond mangrove ecological farm, runway fish farming device, tropical coastal plant greenhouse and science exhibition hall in the coastal innovation base, and listened to the report of researcher Fan Hangqing on the background, characteristics and prospects of shrimp pond mangrove ecological plant. In the report, Fan Hangqing pointed out that mangrove forests are strategic resources for the fulfillment of the UNFCCC, Biodiversity and Wetland Conventions, and old ponds are a main battlefield for mangrove restoration. Haike Academy has been developing the “shrimp pond mangrove eco-factory” (eco-factory for short) innovative technology system since 2017 to realize the value of mangrove ecosystems while returning ponds to forests. The technology system restores part of the pond area to mangrove forests, while realizing localized intensive aquaculture, natural proliferation of tidal channels and forested wetlands, which improves economic efficiency, increases blue carbon, and reduces pollution emissions from aquaculture. In addition, the eco-factory provides a new platform for popular science research, eco-tourism, ocean health, special equipment, intelligent management, scientific research and international cooperation. There are a large number of abandoned shrimp ponds along the coast of Southeast Asia left after cutting down mangrove forests for historical reasons, and the prospect of promoting the mangrove eco-factory model for shrimp ponds in Southeast Asian countries such as Cambodia is very optimistic. Researcher Fan Hangqing's report triggered a lively discussion among the visitors, and President Song Du expressed his hope that the relevant exchanges could be implemented and would help promote further cooperation between China and Cambodia in the field of environmental protection.

Tang Suan, Consul General of Cambodia in Nanning, Duan Bingde, Vice Mayor of Beihai City, Rao Weiguo, Vice President of Guangxi Academy of Sciences, and Yang Bin, Chairman of Jinshan Hi-Tech Group, attended the visit.

Writer: Liao Xin
Photograph: Liao Xin