A delegation of 15 foreign experts from 14 countries paid a visit to Qingdao, Shandong province, from Sept 22 to 25, to delve into the city's achievements in maritime-related industries and to witness its dedication to ecological and environmental preservation.

The delegation was impressed by the city's rapid development over the past few decades. During the visit, members of the group took a tour across Qingdao that included stops at several key locations: Qingdao Bright Moon Seaweed Group, Qingdao Tangdaowan Bay Park, Qingdao Luhaifeng National Marine Ranch Demonstration Area, Tsingtao Beer Museum, Haier World Home Appliances Museum and Qingdao Seawin Biotech Group.

They witnessed advanced technologies applied to marine resource harvesting, including krill, seaweed and fish, all of which have contributed to the city's thriving blue economy.

Tamara Kunanayakam, former ambassador and permanent representative of Sri Lanka to the UN, expressed her admiration for China's progress: "I've learned a lot and was very impressed with the incredible progress China has made in such a short period," she said.