pk-china-user Pakistan’s Lasbela University of Agriculture, Water and Marine Sciences (LUAWMS) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with China’s First Institute of Oceanography (FIO) to strengthen cooperation in marine science, engineering technology and professional training.
The agreement was signed on July 6 in Qingdao, according to a statement issued by FIO. The partnership establishes a framework for collaborative research projects, academic exchanges and joint training programmes aimed at advancing marine science and technology.
Leading the Pakistani delegation, LUAWMS Vice-Chancellor Abdul Malik Tareen described the agreement as a significant milestone in the university’s collaboration with China. He expressed confidence that the partnership would produce practical outcomes in research, innovation and human resource development.
Located in Uthal, Balochistan, LUAWMS is a public-sector university specialising in agriculture, water resources and marine sciences. Its location near Pakistan’s Arabian Sea coastline places it at the centre of research on coastal ecosystems, fisheries and marine resource management.
Balochistan’s approximately 760-kilometre coastline plays a vital role in Pakistan’s fisheries, port operations and coastal development, underscoring the growing need for scientific research, marine data and skilled professionals.
Pakistan also holds sovereign rights over natural resources in parts of its continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles. In 2015, a United Nations commission adopted recommendations on Pakistan’s submission regarding the outer limits of its continental shelf, with some boundaries extending to the 350-nautical-mile constraint line. These rights relate to resources in the seabed and subsoil rather than the waters above.
FIO, a non-profit marine research institute operating under China’s Ministry of Natural Resources, conducts research in marine geology, ocean and climate modelling, ecological conservation and marine disaster prevention.
According to the institute, the agreement is part of its broader scientific cooperation with research organisations in countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative.
LUAWMS has continued expanding its academic partnerships with Chinese institutions in recent years. In 2025, it renewed its cooperation agreement with the Ocean University of China and has also engaged in collaboration discussions with Shandong University’s Weihai campus and the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory in Guangzhou.
