China calls for building maritime community with shared future

BEIJING, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Human beings should not be divided by oceans; rather they should be united more closely through oceans to build a maritime community with a shared future, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Tuesday.

Wang made the remarks at the opening ceremony of the symposium on global maritime cooperation and ocean governance 2021 held via video link.

Noting oceans are a bond connecting countries and an important platform for globalization, Wang said that in recent years, maritime security issues have emerged one after another, the marine ecological environment has degraded, and global maritime governance is faced with various challenges, which need to be addressed through solidarity and cooperation of the international community.

He called for adhering to multilateralism and jointly safeguarding the maritime order.

China opposes some countries flexing their muscles for maritime hegemony, and ganging up to form military cliques at sea and continuously infringing upon the rightful and lawful rights and interests of other countries, Wang said.

All nations should unite to hold high the banner of multilateralism, safeguard the international system with the UN at its core and safeguard the maritime order based on international law.

Wang urged dialogue and consultation to jointly promote maritime peace. For thousands of years, the Chinese people have spread friendship through oceans and have never been involved in aggression or expansion. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, the country has always been committed to respecting the legitimate maritime interests of all parties, bridging differences through dialogue and resolving disputes through negotiation, Wang said.

He said China and ASEAN countries are actively committed to the comprehensive and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), and advance consultations on a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.

"Both sides should strive for an early conclusion of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, so as to build it into a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation," he added.

It is necessary to adhere to the principle of shared benefits and common governance, promote maritime interconnection, promote free trade, maintain the stability and smoothness of maritime transportation and industrial chain, and build an open world economy of higher standards through open and integrated oceans, Wang said.

"China will work with other countries to fully implement the global development initiative, advance the building of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road and the Partnership on Blue Economy, speed up maritime connectivity and actively build platforms for maritime cooperation, so as to inject new vitality into world economic recovery," Wang added.

Noting China attaches great importance to marine ecological construction, Wang said the country stands ready to deepen cooperation with other nations to make due contribution to the green development of oceans and build a maritime community with a shared future.

The symposium was jointly organized by China-Southeast Asia Research Center on the South China Sea, China's National Institute for South China Sea Studies and China Oceanic Development Foundation.

Officials, experts and diplomats from over 30 countries and media representatives attended the forum online and offline.