Website: http://en.tio.org.cn/web/index.html

Founded in 1959, the Third Institute of Oceanography (TIO) of the Ministry of Natural Resources is a comprehensive nonprofit research institute that aims to provide technical support for marine management, public service, and marine economic development by engaging in basic, applied, and high-tech maritime research.

The TIO focuses on 12 research interests in the four major fields of deep-sea biological research and development and utilization of marine biological resources, global changes and regional ocean response, marine biodiversity and ecosystem conservation, and applied oceanography. It has 10 research departments (including two ministry-level key laboratories and one engineering center of the Ministry of Natural Resources) and the Xiamen Institute of Ocean Engineering Survey and Design, which serves socio-economic development. The TIO is a leader in fields such as deep-sea microbiology, marine and atmospheric chemistry, and global changes, and has made some world-leading research achievements. It is distinctively competitive in marine biodiversity and ecosystem conservation and restoration, ranking top nationwide in some areas. It is also a national leader in the development and utilization of technologies pertaining to marine biological resources.

APEC Marine Sustainable Development Center (AMSDC)

To implement the APEC Leaders' Declarations and ocean-related Action Plans, the APEC Marine Sustainable Development Center (AMSDC) was officially unveiled at the Beijing Great Hall on Nov 1, 2011. The AMSDC is located in Xiamen, a coastal city in southeast China, and is supported by the Third Institute of Oceanography of the Ministry of Natural Resources. The AMSDC aims to promote the development and cooperation of blue economies, strengthen marine environmental protection and ecosystem-based marine management, and continue to enhance the capacity building of marine sustainable management in the APEC region through policy research, decision-making consultation, discussion and training, communication and consultation, as well as carrying out of demonstration projects and technical assistance.