China will actively promote maritime scientific research and innovation as well as international cooperation to advance sustainable marine development, according to the State Oceanic Administration (SOA) on Monday.

Chen Lianzeng, deputy director of the SOA, made the remarks at an annual meeting of the North Pacific Marine Science Organization (PICES) held in Qingdao, a coastal city in east China's Shandong Province, on Monday.

Chen said global research on ocean science and technology has entered a new stage featuring cross-disciplinary studies and international collaboration, adding that all countries should work jointly to protect marine environments and combat climate change.

"The SOA will work on increasing intellectual and financial support to the study and research of various subjects, including polar science, the marine ecological response to climate change, and ocean acidification," said Chen.

More than 500 marine scientists and researchers participated in the 24th annual meeting of PICES, which was themed "changes and sustainability of the northern Pacific Ocean."

Established in 1992, PICES is an intergovernmental scientific organization aiming to promote and coordinate marine research in the northern North Pacific and adjacent seas. Its present members include China, the United States, Canada, Japan, Republic of Korea and Russia.