On August 18th, twenty-nine media representatives from nine ASEAN countries and sixteen mainstream media outlets visited a special facility at the Hainan Institute of Zhejiang University in Sanya, Hainan Province, which features a "man-made ocean" - a circular pool measuring 27 meters in diameter.

This unique pool is quite a bit different from the average rectangular swimming pool. This is China’s first circular ocean wave pool, capable of recreating the extreme ocean conditions of the deep sea. In the pool, omnidirectional wave forms such as focused and rotating waves are created through a closed-boundary wave generation system.

During their visit, the ASEAN reporters gathered at the edge of the ocean wave pool, watching in astonishment as the surface of the water churned and a sudden surge of wind and waves erupted.

An innovative marine testing technological breakthrough, the ocean wave pool provides a comprehensive marine environment testing area for deep-sea marine energy equipment, marine robots, offshore oil and gas platforms, marine observation instruments, and other marine engineering equipment. This shortens the marine equipment R&D cycle, offering a faster, more economical, and safer method of simulating extreme deep-sea wave and current conditions, allowing for the rapid verification and optimization of the stability and reliability of marine technology and equipment.

For ASEAN countries, the ability to predict extreme ocean conditions is vital for typhoon disaster response and marine resource development. Sanya’s ‘artificial ocean’ is becoming a shared regional technology accelerator, providing a Chinese solution to the challenges of deep-sea development.

A broadcaster at Indonesian National Radio said that it was a fascinating, eye-opening experience to see how different ocean scenarios are simulated.

The content director of Vietnam’s Vanguard Newspaper said that China has extensive experience and has made significant achievements in marine economy and marine research. He expressed hopes that China will share its valuable research with ASEAN nations, collaborate on research, and benefit the people of the world through the results of the research conducted here.

Luo Hai, an engineer at the Hainan Institute of Zhejiang University, explained that offshore energy and food security are pressing challenges in Southeast Asia. Validating equipment reliability through the simulation of a wide variety of complex oceanic conditions, completing equipment development and manufacturing, and ultimately collecting and tapping into offshore energy resources to boost national economic development holds great significance.