Chinese envoy stresses importance of sustainable maritime development

A Chinese envoy to the United Nations on Friday highlighted the importance of sustainable maritime development at the 25th Meeting of States Parties to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

"As a significant part of the post-2015 development agenda, sustainable maritime development is having an ever more important status and role in global politics, economy and the social development of humankind," said Wang Min, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN.

On ways to achieve sustainable maritime development, China believes that it is important to "fully amalgamate the political will and establish an awareness that the oceans represent a community of common destiny," he said.

"Now, countries have carried out exchanges and cooperation that are closer than ever before, using oceans and seas as a bond. Meanwhile, the oceans of our globe are also facing such challenges as a worsening environment of resources and ecology as well as frequent occurrence of disasters," Wang said.

"An individual country, however powerful it may be, simply cannot stay immune by itself. We should, therefore, be aware that we share the same destiny in ocean affairs and should join hands in responding to the challenges and engage in more pragmatic cooperation for common development," he said.

In addition, the representative also called for enhancing collaboration and coordination to achieve win-win in economic growth, social development and environmental protection.

These three dimensions are inseparable as the effective operation of each depends on that of the other two. For this reason, integrated marine management measures should be taken to ensure the balanced and comprehensive development of all three dimensions, according to Wang.

At the same time, the important role of scientific research in decision-making deserves great attention, said Wang.

UNCLOS is an international agreement that defines the rights and responsibilities of nations with respect to their use of the world's oceans, establishing guidelines for businesses, the environment, and the management of marine natural resources. The 25th Meeting of States Parties to UNCLOS was held at the UN headquarters in New York from June 8 to 12. Endite