Civilization exchange and mutual learning in maritime training for Pacific island countries

Building on shared maritime cultural roots, and exploring avenues to deepen multifaceted cooperation in the new era, China launched a practical training program for Pacific Island maritime officials. This initiative invites officials to China to enhance their professional skills and strengthen cross-cultural communication.

In August 2025, the second "Maritime Management + Chinese" Practical Training Program for Pacific Island maritime officials was held in Quanzhou city, Fujian province, China. Fifteen officials from nine countries – Fiji, Samoa, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Tonga, Federated States of Micronesia, and Nauru participated.

The program, supported by Quanzhou Maritime Safety Administration and Quanzhou Normal University, held training courses, and also immersed the officials in the region's rich maritime culture.

Focus on Modern Maritime Governance

Pacific island countries have a profound connection to the ocean, which is central to their economies and cultures. However, they also face urgent challenges, including rising sea levels, severe weather, and the need to adapt to new technologies. The program aims to address these challenges by providing technical maritime training, and foster dialogue on modern governance and ocean culture.

The curriculum was designed to address the most pressing maritime development priorities of island countries. Participants delved into comprehensive modules covering ferry safety protocols in archipelagic contexts, sustainable green shipping solutions tailored for small island economies, cutting-edge maritime emergency search and rescue coordination techniques, nuanced port state and flag state control compliance strategies, and transformative approaches to women's empowerment within male-dominated maritime sectors.

However, the learning went beyond lecture halls with carefully orchestrated field immersions, field visits to maritime agencies in Ningde, Xiamen, and Quanzhou, and in-depth exchanges on governance practices. Participants gained crucial insights into advanced regulatory systems and intelligent shipping technologies, fostering modern maritime governance experience — significantly enhancing capacities for both China and Pacific island countries to contribute meaningfully to regional and global maritime affairs.

A Bridge of Cultural Exchange

Fujian is recognized as a pivotal region where prehistoric Chinese inhabitants adapted to and utilized marine resources, as well as a crucial origin point for the formation and Pacific dispersal of Austronesian ancestors. Leveraging Fujian's rich traditional cultural resources, this training program served as both a platform for transnational maritime experience-sharing and a confluence of diverse maritime cultures.

The curriculum incorporated bilingual instruction, Chinese language learning, and traditional cultural elements to build bridges through enhanced cultural exchange. During these cultural sessions, Pacific island officials not only acquired foundational Chinese language skills, but also experienced the blended charm of Chinese and maritime civilizations through diverse activities. Participants practiced calligraphy and paper-cutting, visited the Quanzhou Museum of Overseas Communication History and traced Austronesian cultural roots at Pingtan's Keqiutou archaeological site.

This cultural convergence was powerfully noted during a symposium on cultural exchange, where officials from five island countries shared their perspectives. The speakers remarked on the widespread presence of Chinese goods in their home communities and expressed admiration for local maritime heritage. One female official from Solomon Islands noted the similarities between the fishing traditions of Hui'an and Xunpu women in Fujian and the female-led fishing and adornment practices in their own culture.

Participants also shared Pacific innovations in preserving their unique heritage, such as Fiji's tradition of tattooing men for safe voyages, and school programs that teach ancestral skills to younger generations. At last, participants agreed on the importance of deepening cooperation and cultural learning.

Navigating a Shared Future

From May 28 to 29, 2025, the Third Meeting of Foreign Ministers of China and the Pacific Island Countries was held in Xiamen, Fujian. During this meeting, China Initiative on Strengthening Practical Maritime Cooperation with Pacific Island Countries was released to promote bilateral maritime governance collaboration in the new era.

The Pacific Island Maritime Officials Training Program represents a concrete measure in Fujian to implement the Initiative. It has evolved into a vital platform for cooperation that strengthens emotional bonds between China and Pacific Island countries. Institutionalizing this program through regular training sessions and enhancing collaboration in preserving and innovating maritime cultural heritage will establish a replicable "culture-plus" model for multilateral cooperation.

(Lin Yiping is lecturer in School of Foreign Languages of Quanzhou Normal University. Zhao Shuo is director of Research Center of the Pacific Island Countries at The Academy of International and Regional Communication Studies in Communication University of China)