China is ready to make due contributions to the safeguarding and enhancing of the safety, security and environmental protection of the Malacca Straits, a Chinese official said in Kuala Lumpur Monday.

 

Ju Chengzhi, who leads the Chinese delegation for the Kuala Lumpur Meeting on the Straits of Malacca and Singapore, made the remarks at Monday's meeting session.

 

The Chinese government has been taking a clear, consistent stance on the issue of the security of the Malacca Straits, said Ju.

 

China supports the leading efforts made by the littoral states -- Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore -- in safeguarding the sovereignty and security of the Straits in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and other generally recognized principles of international laws, he said.

 

On the basis of fully respecting the sovereignty and administration rights of the littoral states, China is ready to participate actively in the cooperation on the Straits security as advocated by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and other multilateral mechanism, said Ju, adding the cooperation should be open and transparent.

 

Meanwhile, Ju said, China will provide substantive support for littoral states, including offering training programs, promoting technical exchange and enhancing capacity building.

 

Themed "Enhancing Safety, Security and Environmental Protection" of the Malacca Straits, the meeting, which opened Monday, was jointly organized by the IMO and the Malaysian Ministry of Transport.

 

In addition to the three countries along the Straits, nearly 20countries who are users of the waterway, including China, South Korea and the United States, and more than 10 international organizations have sent their delegates for the three-day meeting.

 

Every year, some 80,000 ships ply the Straits, with an average daily traffic of about 220 ships. Currently, about 50 percent of crude oil and 25 percent of goods in the world are transported along the route.

 

(Xinhua News Agency September 19, 2006)