China calls for fairer global ocean governance at UN meeting

China on Wednesday called for stronger multilateral cooperation and a fairer global ocean governance system at a United Nations meeting on the law of the sea.

"The ocean is the common home of humanity and an important field of global governance," Sun Lei, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, said in a general statement at the 36th Meeting of States Parties to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The meeting, held from June 15 to 19, reviews issues related to the implementation of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the main international legal framework governing maritime rights, resource use and ocean affairs.

This year's meeting comes after the Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction, or the BBNJ Agreement, entered into force on Jan 17. The agreement, adopted in 2023, focuses on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.

Sun said that against the backdrop of a changing international situation, China "stands ready to work with all parties to uphold the authority of the UN" and "revitalize and strengthen the UN".

This year marks the 30th anniversary of China becoming a state party to the Convention, he said, adding that China has "faithfully fulfilled" its obligations and made important contributions to improving global ocean governance.

"China has consistently supported the peaceful settlement of maritime disputes through means voluntarily chosen by the parties concerned, especially negotiation and consultation," Sun said. He added that China has sent 48 escort task forces to the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia to help maintain maritime peace and order.

Turning to the South China Sea, Sun responded to remarks by some countries that had again raised the so-called South China Sea arbitration during the meeting. He said the gathering was not the appropriate venue to discuss the South China Sea issue.

"The so-called South China Sea arbitration violated the principle of state consent," he said, adding that China "neither accepts nor recognizes" the ruling.

"The South China Sea situation is generally stable," Sun said, urging relevant countries to "stop hyping up the issue in multilateral settings and return to resolving disputes through bilateral consultation."

On marine sustainable development, Sun said China attaches great importance to "the conservation and rational use of marine resources". He noted that China has designated 150,000 square kilometers of marine ecological conservation red lines and established 353 marine ecological protected areas.

China has joined the Agreement on Port State Measures, adopted "zero tolerance" toward illegal fishing, carried out voluntary fishing moratoriums on the high seas, and constructively participated in the establishment and operation of high seas protected areas, he said.

Sun also highlighted China's support for developing countries in maritime capacity building. China has provided marine disaster prevention and mitigation warning services to more than 130 countries and trained more than 100,000 marine professionals for over 50 developing countries, he said.

Putting forward China's proposals, Sun said all parties should "practice multilateralism and defend international fairness and justice," uphold the international order based on international law, and oppose unilateralism and hegemonic acts.

He also warned against actions that "disregard international rules" and "unauthorized development of international seabed resources", saying such moves would undermine the common heritage of humanity.

Sun said "conservation" and "sustainable use" are two inseparable aspects of global ocean governance. The international community should protect the marine environment while promoting the orderly development of marine resources to support food security, energy security and critical mineral supply chains, he said.

On the Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction, Sun said its implementation "concerns the overall interests of the international community" and requires a secretariat matching the agreement's importance and future development.

China has nominated Xiamen to host the secretariat, he said, calling the city "an ideal location" given its maritime foundation, developed blue economy and extensive maritime cooperation.