Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Zhao Zhiyuan Calls for Fairer Global Ocean Governance at Sanya Forum
On November 6, 2026, Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Zhao Zhiyuan attended the opening ceremony of the seventh Symposium on Global Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance in Sanya, Hainan, and delivered a keynote speech. Zhao said the four global initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping point the way toward building a maritime community with a shared future, and that the international community should grasp the trend of the times and jointly promote the healthy development of global ocean affairs.
Zhao put forward four proposals. First, uphold fairness and justice and build a maritime order of civilization: the international community should safeguard the UN-centered international system and the international order based on international law, strengthen strategic mutual trust, and promote a fairer and more reasonable international maritime order. Second, pursue inclusive and win-win cooperation and closer maritime partnerships, following the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, so that the ocean economy develops in a people-centered and sustainable way.
Third, promote unity and inclusiveness and strengthen maritime security cooperation: the international community should follow a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, and properly handle maritime differences and disputes through dialogue and consultation. Fourth, share a common future and protect the ocean as a common home, valuing harmony between humanity and the sea and deepening international cooperation on climate change and disaster prevention and mitigation in the maritime field.
Zhao said the fifth plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China has made systematic arrangements for exercising full and rigorous Party self-governance, creating new opportunities for deepening mutually beneficial cooperation between China and other countries. As a responsible major maritime country, China will continue to be a practitioner of international maritime cooperation, a defender of the world maritime order and a builder of global ocean governance, he said.
The forum was hosted by the National Institute for South China Sea Studies together with other institutions, with about 400 representatives from maritime-related fields at home and abroad in attendance. (Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China)
Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 外交部官方发布照片（外交部官网）
