The senior officials' meeting of the 25th North Pacific Coast Guard Forum (NPCGF)
Photo：offcial Wechat account of China Coast Guard

China Coast Guard (CCG) has hosted the 25th North Pacific Coast Guard Forum (NPCGF) senior officials' meeting from Monday to Friday in Shanghai, aiming to promote cross-regional exchanges and cooperation in maritime security and safeguard maritime stability, according to the official CCG website.

The meeting drew more than 80 delegates from countries including Canada, Japan, South Korea, Russia, the United States, and China.

Marking the first in-person gathering of the six member agencies since 2020, the meeting released a Chair's Statement. The delegates discussed jointly combating maritime transnational crimes, such as illegal human smuggling and drug trafficking, strengthening bilateral and multilateral maritime law enforcement cooperation and joint operations, and coordinating fishing enforcement patrols in the high seas of the North Pacific, according to the CCG.

Delegates also shared experiences in maritime emergency rescue and environmental protection, enhancing law enforcement information sharing, and organizing joint exercises under the forum framework. The CCG said preliminary consensus was also reached on cooperation plans for the coming year.

During the meeting, the CCG shared its innovative practices of using carbon sink tools in law enforcement to protect the marine environment, and organized delegates to visit its vessels and grassroots work units. 

The forum concluded with the CCG handing over the forum flag to the Border Service of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation, which will host the next session.

This event holds great significance for promoting exchanges and cooperation in cross-regional maritime security, marine environmental protection, and capacity building, and for safeguarding maritime security and stability in the region, CCG noted.

Established in 2000, the NPCGF is a regional multilateral maritime cooperation mechanism composed of the coast guard agencies of China, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Russia, and the United States. It aims to strengthen cooperation and coordination as well as safeguarding peace and stability in the North Pacific region in accordance with the memorandum of cooperation signed by the six parties in 2015, according to the official WeChat account of CCG.

Global Times