Russian-Chinese Academic Meeting on Arctic Cooperation

A greeting to the participants of the meeting was sent by a member of the Government of St. Petersburg, Chairman of the Committee on External Relations of St. Petersburg Evgeny Grigoriev.

Dean of the Faculty of International Relations of St. Petersburg State University, Professor Irina Novikova spoke about the strategic importance of the Arctic zone, noting that the development of Arctic territories largely depends on the successful implementation of new technologies, building up intellectual potential and developing international cooperation in the region.

The participants of the meeting listened with particular interest to the speech of Associate Professor of the Department of Botany and Plant Physiology of PetrSU, PhD in Biology Anastasia Starodubtseva. The report presented the leading areas of research into the phototrophic biota of the Arctic region of European Russia, conducted at the Department of Botany and Plant Physiology of the Institute of Biological, Ecological and Agricultural Technologies of PetrSU. The following university scientists took part in preparing the report: Head of the Department of Botany and Plant Physiology, Associate Professor, Doctor of Biological Sciences A.V. Sonina; Associate Professor, Candidate of Biological Sciences K.V. Morozova; Associate Professor, Candidate of Biological Sciences N.A. Elkina; Associate Professor, Doctor of Biological Sciences T.Yu. Dyachkova.

The Chinese delegation included representatives of the Ocean University of China, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies and International Trade, Shandong University, Shanghai Institute of International Studies and China Foreign Affairs University.

In her speech, Director of the Institute of Ocean Development of the Ocean University of China, Professor Wang Qi emphasized that China attaches great importance to the development of cooperation with Russia in the Arctic direction, the Ocean University has the largest team in the country for research in the Arctic region. Inviting Russian researchers to cooperate, Deputy Director of the Polar Research Center of the Guangdong University of Foreign Studies and International Trade Luo Ying spoke about the features of the development of China's "silver economy" and the existing groundwork in the study of biological resources of the Arctic.

The Arctic Center expresses gratitude to the teaching staff of the Institute of Biology, Ecology and Agricultural Technologies for the thorough preparation for the meeting and hopes for further cooperation in priority areas of Arctic research.