The Taiwanese Cabinet passed the nation’s first ocean policy white paper yesterday, providing guidelines to government branches for implementing their respective ocean-related policies, with the aim of promoting the sustainable development of the country’s marine affairs.
Ocean Affairs Council (OAC) Department of Comprehensive Planning chief Shen Chien-chung said the white paper lists several concrete goals in hope of creating a marine nation that is ecological, safe and prosperous.
The paper also proposes methods to safeguard national marine rights and interests, such as enhancing national marine scientific knowledge, deepening diversified marine culture, creating a healthy marine environment, promoting sustainable resources, improving the development of the marine industry and promoting regional and international marine affairs cooperation, Shen told OER after the weekly Cabinet meeting.
The white papers is completed based on the Ocean Basic Act which passed in November last year, aiming for sustainable use of the sea and its resources as well as a facilitator of collaboration on international marine affairs, with ultimate goal of making Taiwan a true marine nation.