Agreement boosts ocean governance

Officials and experts said that China, as one of the first signatories and contracting states to the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction, has demonstrated its responsibility as a major country supporting multilateralism and contributing to global ocean governance.

According to UN documents published on Tuesday, China deposited its instrument of ratification of the BBNJ Agreement with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Dec 15.

The negotiations on the agreement began in 2004. It was adopted by consensus on June 19, 2023, and opened for signature on Sept 20 the same year.

The agreement, based on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, seeks to conserve and sustainably use marine biological diversity, focusing on deep-sea genetic resources and area-based management tools, including marine protected areas, environmental impact assessments and capacity building. It has further established legal norms for deep-sea and open-sea activities in areas beyond the national jurisdiction of all countries, profoundly influencing the international maritime order.

"The BBNJ Agreement, an important international convention under the framework of the UN, was adop­ted by consensus of over 190 countries after 19 years of negotiations, and represents a milestone of international laws on the sea," Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Wednesday.

The agreement is crucial for promoting global ocean governance and upholding the international maritime order, he told a daily news briefing.

Lin noted that as a major player in deep-sea and high-seas activities, China values marine environmental protection and has actively contributed to the negotiation and conclusion of the agreement.

China has been involved in the negotiations since 2004 and signed the agreement on the first day it was opened for signature. On Oct 28, 2025, the 18th session of the 14th National People's Congress Standing Committee adopted a decision to ratify the agreement. China will become a contracting party when the agreement takes effects on Jan 17.

Lin said this will encourage wider participation in the agreement and help safeguard the shared interests of humanity. He also expressed China's readiness to work with all parties to ensure the full, accurate and effective implementation of the agreement and to jointly protect and develop well the blue home of humanity.

So far, 144 countries and the European Union have signed the agreement, and 80 countries and the EU have deposited instruments of ratification, approval, acceptance or accession.

Shi Yubing, a professor at Guanghua Law School of Zhejiang University, said that the BBNJ Agreement is important for "filling institutional gaps in existing international maritime legal rules".

Shi noted that areas beyond national jurisdiction including the high seas and the international seabed area, have lacked clear legal frameworks for the collection and use of marine genetic resources. As human activity moves deeper into the ocean, existing rules lag behind, making a new international agreement necessary.

He added that China has actively participated in and advanced the negotiations, reflecting its vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity.

Gou Haibo, former head of the Chinese delegation to the BBNJ negotiations and vice-president of the China Institute of International Studies, said, "Approving the agreement will help China better coordinate planning for deep-sea and ocean-going endeavors, strengthen scientific and technological innovation, promote the upgrading of the marine industry, and better serve high-quality development through building a maritime power."

He added that China's ratification reflects broad international consensus, underscores its support for global ocean governance, and gives strong momentum to the implementation and further development of the agreement.

Zhang Xinjun, a professor at Tsinghua University's Law School, said China's active role in formulating and implementing the BBNJ Agreement reflects its philosophy of "promoting international order through dialogue, consultation and cooperative governance".

He added that in the context of today's international competition, global ocean governance should move away from a unilateral "might makes right" approach and toward a more inclusive order built through cooperation between the Global South and the Global North, and between developing and developed countries.

Official data shows that to date, China has signed marine cooperation agreements with more than 50 countries, established blue partnerships and carried out diverse forms of maritime cooperation. China has jointly set up 30 research centers and laboratories with nearly 20 Global South countries and implemented the Chinese Government Marine Scholarship Program.

zhaojia@chinadaily.com.cn