The "Maritime Ambitions" Roundtable was launched in Ningbo, East China's Zhejiang province on Wednesday, where experts, scholars and business leaders from around the world attended both online and offline and expressed their high hopes for the city's future development.

Peter Thomson, the United Nations secretary-general's special envoy for the ocean, stated his hope Ningbo would serve as an example of marine environment governance and be at the forefront of adapting to the change in shipping decarbonization.

Li Jiabiao, director of the Second Institute of Oceanography under the Ministry of Natural Resources, said he believed becoming a global maritime hub is a crucial step Ningbo must take in its upgrade and transformation.

"Use Ningbo's natural endowments and favorable geographical location to develop water sports and boost the city's national and international renown", said Philip Sohmen, grandson of shipping magnate Sir Yue-kong Pao and founder of the sailing team "China One Ningbo".

At the roundtable, Chen Minxian, member of the consulting committee of the Ningbo People's Government, spoke about Ningbo's history, development and culture from the perspective of heritage, with an emphasis on the city's commitment to core Chinese values.

Wang Xiaojing, head of maritime strategy planning at the Ningbo Institute of Oceanography, analyzed Ningbo's overarching policies for becoming a modern coastal metropolis with a view on cities' development strategies.

Zhu Wenrong, founder of the Xiangshan Xuwen Marine Algae Development Company, showed the firm's signature product — edible algae.

The company developed a technique to transform algae blooms that harm the marine environment into food fit for human consumption, which not only protects the ocean but generates more income for locals.

Film producer Xu Weibin and Tian Feng, vice-chairman of the Qingdao Cruise and Yacht Association and founder of T&Z Marine, also shared their thoughts on Ningbo's development online.

The event was organized by the Publicity Department of the CPC Ningbo Committee, with support from the Ningbo Radio and Television Group and the administrative committee of the Ningbo Economic and Technological Development Zone.

It is part of the large-scale journalism campaign "Ningbo, Setting Sail to Embrace the World", which kicked off in March.

The campaign includes interviews, exchanges and cross-media reporting, and comes as part of the city's efforts to become a modern coastal metropolis and promote communication between coastal cities around the world.