The Qingdao municipal government and Tianjin University (TJU) signed a cooperative framework agreement on May 14. Enhancing cooperation in fields of technology and education, both parties agreed to promote research and development and carry out personnel training and entrepreneurship programs in various forms.

Mayor Zhang Xinqi and Li Xiajun, president of Tianjin University, attended the ceremony and made speeches. Signing representatives on both sides included Niu Junxian, vice-mayor of Qingdao, and Yuan Ying, vice-president of Tianjin University.

Zhang pointed out, "Tianjin University's strength in maritime scientific research and engineering is complementary to institutes in Qingdao. Tianjin University closely cooperates with many corporations here. Qingdao is an economic center city that develops marine science and technologies. The city boasts 30 percent of national maritime research institutes, 40 percent of outstanding oceanographers and 70 percent of oceanographic academicians from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering. It undertakes about half of the country's national key marine projects. With advanced technologies and a solid marine industry, Qingdao is speeding up its efforts to become China's Blue Silicon Valley."

The cooperative framework agreement, supported by the Qingdao municipal government, will take full advantage of Tianjin University's marine talents and research resources to develop the city's blue economy.

Li Jiajun said that Tianjin University has first-class professionals in fields such as distributed generation and sea water desalination oriented towards national strategy and global science and technology trends. He hoped to encourage further cooperation between the two sides.

Edited by Michael Thai, Li Xiaoliang and Zhao Jingchen