SANYA, Nov. 7 (Xinhua) -- China will continue to work with all parties through the United Nations framework to advance global ocean governance and promote the effective implementation of international maritime law, a Chinese official said Friday.
Sun Shuxian, China's vice minister of natural resources and head of the State Oceanic Administration, made his comments during a video address at the opening of the seventh Symposium on Global Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province.
He highlighted the Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement), which entered into force in January, saying it had opened a new chapter in global ocean governance and international cooperation.
China had played an important role in building consensus and had helped bring negotiations on the agreement to a successful conclusion, with China among its first parties, Sun said.
He added China had actively participated in ocean governance mechanisms under the United Nations framework over the past three decades.
Officially known as the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction, the BBNJ Agreement is the third implementing agreement under UNCLOS.
The landmark agreement fills a gap in the legal framework for marine biodiversity governance on the high seas and in the international seabed area, according to a report released by the China Institute for Marine Affairs under the Ministry of Natural Resources on Thursday.
Titled "The BBNJ Agreement: Status, Functions, Prospects and China's Role," the report noted China had been involved throughout the process of negotiations, which began in 2004. The agreement was adopted by consensus in 2023.
Through its engagement in the international rule-making process, China has contributed its expertise and efforts to improving global ocean governance rules and building a modern international maritime order, Sun said, highlighting that this year marks the 30th anniversary of the entry into force of UNCLOS for China.
China stands ready to work with all parties to ensure the full, accurate and good-faith interpretation and application of UNCLOS, and to advance a global ocean governance system that is fairer and more equitable, Sun said.
China has also submitted a bid for the coastal city of Xiamen in east China's Fujian Province to host the secretariat of the BBNJ Agreement.
Sun said the bid reflected China's responsibility as a major developing country and its readiness to contribute further to the agreement's full and effective implementation.
He also called for deepening and broadening practical maritime cooperation and promoting inclusive and mutually beneficial development.
China has signed marine cooperation agreements with more than 50 countries and international organizations, jointly established over 40 marine research centers and laboratories, and implemented numerous small-scale, high-impact marine conservation projects, according to the report. These efforts have helped strengthen the ocean-related capabilities of the Global South.
The symposium, which runs through Sunday, attracted nearly 400 representatives from more than 30 countries and regions. It has been jointly organized by institutions including the Huayang Center for Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance and the China Oceanic Development Foundation. ■
