Workshop on Marine Geoscience and Geohazards Reduction and Prevention for ASEAN Member States

The Workshop on Marine Geoscience and Geohazards Reduction and Prevention for ASEAN Member States was held at Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China, 26-30 September 2016. The workshop was sponsored by the China Geological Survey (CGS), Ministry of Land and Resources (MLR), P.R. China, and organized by Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey and Qingdao Institute of Marine Geology, both entities of the CGS. A total of 88 participants; 35 from CCOP member countries, 2 from CCOPTS and 51 China participants attended the workshop. The CCOP ASEAN member countries that were represented include Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

Many presentations were delivered during the workshop that include countries presentations, China marine geological works, technology and methods of investigating the ocean crusts, introduction to geophysical data processing and compilation, geological-geophysical map series compilation, and capacity building and outlook on marine geosciences cooperation. A presentation to highlight CCOP activities, titled “Marine Geoscience Capacity Building and Geohazards Reduction and Prevention for ASEAN Member States: Role of CCOP” was presented. Based on the country reports and technical training reports presented, further discussion was made, regarding the possibility of marine geoscience cooperation between China and ASEAN member countries, to which the suggestions are as follows:

1. Capacity building: CGS will organize training course on marine geoscience methodology and technology, such as remote sensing, geological and geophysics data processing, geohazard monitoring, seismology, GIS- map compilation.
2. Coastal geological mapping by comparison study between China and ASEAN member countries should be carried out in the very near future. 
3. Geohazard reduction and prevention in the active fault zone should be highlighted and the future joint work in this field should be strengthened.
4. Data sharing: Due to the marine geoscience research works have been done by each country separately, data sharing and exchange are encouraged. The trial case comparison study and data sharing between Cambodia and China in the aspect of the coastal zone geological mapping are recommended, and other ASEAN member countries could join in the cooperation voluntarily. 
5. Detailed aspects for the future cooperation in marine geoscience and geohazards reduction and prevention will be conducted through the joint field work and MOU signing.
6. Ocean drilling program will be extended into future cooperation.
7. Geological and geophysical map compilation could be advanced in the future.