A Chinese envoy to the UN on Wednesday urged the United States to play a constructive role in strengthening global ocean governance.
Speaking at the 35th Meeting of States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations Geng Shuang slammed the United States for practicing unilateral hegemony, and stubbornly standing in opposition to international maritime cooperation, as well as fairness and justice.
Geng described the United States as an opportunist abusing the rules of the convention, a saboteur of the international maritime order, an absentee in global ocean governance, and a troublemaker undermining peace and stability in the South China Sea.
Despite never joining the convention, the United States frequently invokes its provisions, claiming rights without assuming its responsibilities, Geng said.
In disregard of collective international efforts within the framework of the International Seabed Authority, the United States has proceeded with unilateral development of international seabed resources, the Chinese envoy noted.
The United States has openly opposed the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its ocean-related goals and failed to send an official delegation to the Nice Ocean Summit. Although the United States signed the agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ), it refuses to participate in the preparatory committee's work, Geng said.
"Although far from the South China Sea, the United States misinterprets UNCLOS and frequently dispatches warships to the South China Sea under the pretext of 'freedom of navigation,' infringing on other countries' sovereignty and security. Ignoring the fact that the situation in the South China Sea remains generally stable thanks to the joint efforts by China and ASEAN countries, the United States has been stirring up trouble and sowing discord everywhere, seriously undermining mutual trust among countries in the region and disrupting their efforts to build the South China Sea into a sea of peace, friendship, and cooperation," Geng said.
Geng urged the United States to seriously reflect on and correct its utilitarian attitude toward UNCLOS and hegemonic behavior in maritime affairs, and to play a constructive role in strengthening global ocean governance.
The international community should defend the convention's integrity and authority, and international judicial institutions should respect the sovereignty of countries, act in strict accordance with their mandates, and prevent the abuse of dispute settlement mechanisms, Geng stressed.
China urges US to play constructive role in global ocean governance
