China will continue promoting harmonious maritime order

UNITED NATIONS - China will work with other countries to further promote a harmonious maritime order, as well as the peace, security and openness of the ocean, a Chinese envoy to the UN said Tuesday.

Liu Jieyi, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, made the remarks at a UN General Assembly meeting on oceans and the law of the sea.

The envoy said the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea has entered into force for 20 years, noting that, "The convention provides an important guarantee for maintaining the just and reasonable international maritime order."

"China will work with other countries to further promote a harmonious maritime order, the peace, security and openness of the ocean and the proper preservation and rational utilization of the ocean, on the basis of the international law, including the convention in the interests of the common development and mutual benefit of all members of the international community," he said.

Liu said China congratulates the International Seabed Authority on its achievements over the past year. "China gives great importance to the effective and comprehensive participation of developing countries in affairs concerning the international seabed and has provided help within our capacity."

Liu also said that China values and supports the important role that the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea continues to play in the peaceful settlement of maritime disputes, maintenance of international maritime order and dissemination of the Law of Sea.

"China appreciates the tribunal's positive role in helping developing countries with capacity building," he added.

On fisheries management, Liu said that China will continue to work with countries concerned to promote the development and refinement of the international regime for fisheries management and regulate fishing activities in order to achieve sustainable use of marine biological resources, conserve marine biological balance, and ensure the sharing of fishery benefits by all countries.

Liu stressed that China staunchly defends and promotes the international maritime rule of law and peaceful settlement of maritime disputes. "The Chinese government follows an independent foreign policy of peace. We maintain that maritime disputes should be resolved peacefully in accordance with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and the provisions of the convention, and that the lawful rights of countries to independently choose means to peaceful settlement should be respected," he added.

"Before the relevant issues are resolved, parties concerned should engage in dialogue and seek cooperation in order to maintain the peace and stability of the relevant parts of the oceans and seas," he said.

Liu said that China looks forward to further strengthening cooperation with all countries so as to jointly address challenges, share the opportunities and wealth provided by the oceans and seas, and jointly seek sustainable maritime development.

"We will work for the building of harmonious oceans and seas so that they will forever benefit humankind," he said.