As the world's oceans are an integral whole, the research, development and protection of the oceans require common efforts by all countries in the world. As an important developing country, China is well aware of its responsibilities and obligations concerning international maritime affairs. China has consistently insisted that the ocean be peacefully utilized, and jointly developed and protected, and disputes over maritime matters be settled in a fair manner. China has always taken an active part in international and regional maritime affairs, promoted cooperation and exchanges in this field, conscientiously fulfilled its duties and contributed its share to international development of the oceans.

China has always supported and actively participated in the various forms of marine-related activities promoted by the United Nations. China has joined nearly 20 international organizations, including the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO/IOC), Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR), Commission on Maritime Meteorology (CMM), International Maritime Organization (IMO), UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), North Pacific Marine Science Organization (PICES), and Pacific Conference on Science and Technology (PACON). China has also engaged extensively in cooperation and exchanges in maritime affairs with scores of countries in the world.

In addition, China has attended all the sessions of the Third Conference on the Law of the Sea of the United Nations (UNCLOS) and joined the formulation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, thus becoming a contracting party to the latter. It has also attended the meetings of the preparatory committees on the International Seabed Authority (ISA) and the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea. China took part in the establishment of the ISA and was elected as one of its first B-level council member states. As one of the first investors in international seabed development, China has put large amounts of capital, technology and qualified personnel into seabed exploration, which has not only safeguarded China's rights and interests in the international seabed but it also constitutes a contribution to man's endeavors to exploit marine resources. Moreover, a Chinese scientist was elected as one of the first judges of the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea, playing a positive role in international marine affairs.

China sets store by the protection and management of the high seas and their resources. From 1993 to 1995, China participated in the formulation of the Agreement for the Implementation of the Provisions of the December 10, 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea Relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks. China has successively engaged in negotiations with Russia, the United States and Japan on the development and protection of the fisheries resources of the Bering Sea, and signed and ratified the Convention on the Conservation and Management of Pollack Resources in the Central Bering Sea. In order to protect fisheries resources on the high seas, China has taken part in international activities to protect tunas, whales and other endangered species of marine life, acceded to the International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, and participated in the formulation of the Agreement to Promote Compliance with International Conservation and Management Measures by Fishing Vessels on the High Seas.

Oceans being a main artery across the world, international cooperation in sea transportation is of great importance for promoting the interflow of commodities and economic development globalwide. As a member of the IMO China has signed bilateral maritime transportation agreements with 51 countries, making positive efforts to promote international cooperation and exchanges in maritime transportation. At the 16th to 20th sessions of the IMO, China was successively elected as an A-level council member state. China has also acceded to the 30-some conventions formulated by the IMO, such as the 1965 Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic, 1990 International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Cooperation, International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978, As Amended, 1974 International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the protocol of 1978 relating thereto (MARPOL, or 73/78 Convention on Pollution Convention), Athens Convention Relating to the Carriage of Passengers and Their Luggage by Sea, 1974, and International Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules of Law with Respect to Collision Between Vessels.

China has also taken part in global oceanographic activities, including the GSMMP (global studies and monitoring of marine pollution), the TOGA (tropical ocean and global atmospheric project), the WOCE (world ocean circulation experiment), the JGOFS (joint global ocean flux study), the LOICE (land-ocean interaction in the coastal zone), and the GLOBEC (global ocean ecosystem dynamics), making positive efforts to promote worldwide oceanographic cooperation. From 1985 to 1990, China sent three ships and more than 300 scientific workers to conduct the coupled ocean and atmospheric response experiment in the tropical Western Pacific (COARE). Large amounts of scientific data were obtained, providing important materials for understanding the influence of that kind of response in the Western Pacific's ``Warm Pool'' on global climate changes, for improving global ocean and climate forecast modes and studying the El Nino Phenomena. China joined the North Pacific Marine Science Organization (PICES) and the Regional Committee for the Western Pacific of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission in 1990 and 1992, respectively. China also joined the Working Group on Marine Resources Conservation of the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference and other regional organizations, as well as the Global Ocean Observation System (GOOS) initiated by the UNESCO/IOC and other international organizations, and helped to initiate and organize the Northeast Asia Ocean Observation System.

Since the 1980s, China has engaged in extensive scientific cooperation in marine projects with dozens of countries, including the United States, Germany, France, Canada, Spain, Russia, the DPRK, the ROK and Japan, resulting in fruitful achievements in projects concerning the deltas of the Yangtze and Yellow rivers, Kuroshio, air-sea interaction, and the bio-diversity of Hainan Island. During the Kuroshio survey, jointly conducted by China and Japan from 1986 to 1992, more than 100 field operations were carried out, and meetings of over 20 scientists were arranged, which helped to accumulate a rich store of information for understanding the movement of Kuroshio, its regular pattern of changes and its origin, as well as the resources variations in the fishing grounds of the Western Pacific.

China has made strenuous efforts to foster cooperation in regional marine fisheries on the principles of equality and mutual benefit. Under the Agreement of Fisheries Between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of Japan in 1975, China and Japan arranged for the development and protection of their fisheries resources every year through negotiations. In 1997, China and Japan signed a new agreement on fisheries, laying the foundation for long-term cooperation between the two countries in this regard. China has held talks with the ROK, the Philippines and other neighboring countries on the development and protection of fishery resources in the surrounding sea areas.

China is also committed to helping developing countries train people for marine development and comprehensive management work, and has hosted many international maritime conferences. In 1987, the training course on ocean management of the International Ocean Institute was offered for the first time in Beijing. In October 1994, the China Center of the International Ocean Institute was set up. So far, it has held three training seminars for over 50 people from 19 developing countries, majoring in marine development. In 1996, the Pacem in Maribus XXIV Conference was held in China, at which positive results were attained and a Beijing Declaration was announced.

While making great efforts for the development and protection of the ocean, China is clearly aware of the fact that, as a developing country with inadequate level of development and limited economic strength, China has lagged behind some of the developed countries in this regard. The marine scientific and technological level in China is relatively low, the equipment used in marine development is backward and many development areas are still in rough shape. Especially, the increasing population and rapid economic growth in the coastal areas in recent years have put great pressure on the marine environmental protection and hampered the rational development of marine resources. China has put the issue of rational utilization and protection of marine resources and the marine environment into the overall, cross-century plans for national economic and social development, and has adopted the sustainable development of marine programs as a basic strategy. With the continuing growth of the forces of social production, the further building-up of comprehensive national strength and the gradual awakening of the people's consciousness of the importance of marine protection, China's marine programs will definitely enjoy still greater development. Together with other countries and international organizations concerned, China will, as always, play its part in bringing mankind's work for marine development and protection onto the road of sustainable development.