Beijing – November 01, 2026 -- Scientists from China and Malaysia called for a shared regional early-warning system and cross-border data exchange at the China-Malaysia Youth Ocean Dialogue, held October 30 at China Media Group's Sanya Studio.
China Media Group's Chinese Language Programming Center organized the event, with Xiamen University as co-organizer. Scientists, artists, environmental organization representatives and students from both countries took part.
Xiamen University dean links El Niño damage to coastal erosion risk
Liu Zhiyu, dean of the College of Ocean and Earth Sciences at Xiamen University, outlined the adverse effects of El Niño on coral reef ecosystems. He said reef degradation could worsen coastal erosion, creating new risks for the livelihoods and safety of coastal communities.
UNESCO regional commission chair proposes shared early-warning system
Professor Dato' Dr. Aileen Tan chairs the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Sub-Commission for the Western Pacific (IOC WESTPAC) and is a fellow of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia. She said China and Malaysia should build an early-warning system and share it with other countries in the region.
Chen Guangcheng, a researcher at the Third Institute of Oceanography under China's Ministry of Natural Resources, called for an effective chain linking scientific research, policy support and practical implementation.
Xiamen University Malaysia lecturer flags cross-border data gap
Lim Kean Chong, a lecturer at the China-ASEAN College of Marine Sciences at Xiamen University Malaysia, said that without cross-border data, researchers cannot identify the population relationships of certain species. He said he hoped for closer cooperation with China on biodiversity research.
Students from Tsinghua, Putra and Xiamen back applied research
Khor Zin of Tsinghua University, Lee Jie Ning of Universiti Putra Malaysia and Yang Qing of Xiamen University presented their research experiences. They said youth scientific collaboration between the two countries should go beyond knowledge sharing and use research and technological innovation to improve people's lives in both countries.