In the Winter of 2016, the China Ocean Acoustics Symposium (COA2016) will welcome leading scholars, experts and students in the beautiful silver-coated Harbin, Chinese Ice City, famous for her Ice Lamp and Snow Sculpture. This unique event, sponsored by the IEEE Oceanic Engineering Society, will create in China an exchange platform for universities, research institutions and industries worldwide in one of the key fields of ocean science and engineering. In these times where China is being diving into the deep blue the aim is to create opportunities for high-level joint research in specific areas of common interest by facilitating sharing of research achievements, experiences and new ideas on hot topics. By actively participating to the symposium, postgraduate students and young researchers will have the opportunity to challenge their ideas, new approaches and developments of techniques and technologies. The organizers will invite widely recognized professors and experts to give tutorials and talks on underwater acoustics fundamentals, new approaches and cutting-edge applications. Participants will receive the proceedings collecting all contributions and IEEE Xplore will publish the papers. An exhibition by Chinese and foreign companies manufacturing state-of-the-art technologies, distributing equipment and providing services for underwater acoustic measurements and surveys will be set up in the venue hall.