The 2005 International Forum of Seaside Cities opened Saturday in Xiamen, a coastal scenic city in eastern China,

With ocean protection and land pollutant control as its theme, the forum has attracted more than 300 representatives from international organizations like the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), more than 20 coastal cities from countries including Australia, Spain, Japan, the Philippines and Thailand, as well as 14 coastal Chinese cities.

The participants are discussing achievements and experience in ocean protection during the two-day forum. Various renowned scholars will introduce the latest technological developments in ocean protection, and a Xiamen Declaration will be jointly signed by coastal city representatives at the closure, organizers said.

Wang Zhijia, special envoy of Executive Director Klaus Toepfer with UNEP, said at the opening ceremony that the local governments should enhance exchanges and cooperation to learn from others' experience in ocean protection.

The forum was jointly organized by the UNEP, China's State Administration of Environmental Protection and the Xiamen city government.

Source: Xinhua