The Xiamen Declaration will play an instructive role in boosting marine cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region, said Liu Yan, an expert at the State Oceanic Administration who helped draft the document.

The declaration was a major outcome of the fourth Ocean-Related Ministerial Meeting and it covers four topics. Of these, marine science, technology and innovation and the blue economy were highlighted, Liu told China Daily.

"We have not focused on specific technologies when talking about marine science, technology and innovation but the potential cooperation on a national policy level," she said.