China calls for peaceful resolution of territorial and maritime disputes through negotiation and consultation in order to uphold a fair and just maritime order, Vice Foreign Minister Hua Chunying said when addressing the 2025 Symposium on International Maritime Dispute Settlement and International Law held in Beijing on Monday.
During the symposium, scholars and experts from China and abroad held extensive discussions on mechanisms for settling maritime disputes and pressing issues in the field.
In her speech at the event, Huasaid China always advocates that territorial and maritime disputes be settled peacefully through negotiation and consultation by the states directly involved on the basis of respecting historical facts in accordance with international law. She noted that the international community should support all efforts conducive to the peaceful settlement of maritime disputes and genuinely respect the consensus and steps taken by regional countries to preserve peace.
Hua underlined that while 2025 has been a fruitful year for global ocean governance, the oceans are by no means tranquil.
"Some countries have repeatedly used force at sea under various pretexts, gravely threatening regional peace and security. There have also been incidents of unilaterally issuing and implementing 'deep-sea mining decrees', encroaching on the common heritage of humankind. Issues such as international submarine cables, distant-water fisheries and maritime passages are constantly politicized, seriously disrupting the intentional maritime order. All parties must steadfastly uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, exercise their rights and fulfill their obligations in accordance with international law, and continuously advance and improve the application of the rule of law in maritime affairs on the basis of consensus," she said.
On sustainable ocean development, Hua stressed that China is both an advocate and a practitioner. She reiterated China's long-standing position that disputes over territory and maritime rights be resolved peacefully by the directly concerned countries through negotiation and consultation, in conformity with international law and in light of historical facts. "China opposes any distortion of the interpretation or application of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the abuse of UNCLOS's dispute-settlement procedures, and the initiation of vexatious litigation in violation of the principle of state consent. China will continue to promote dialogue and cooperation with the countries concerned, build mutual trust and remove misgivings, create conditions for the final settlement of maritime issues, and contribute to regional peace and stability," said the vice minister. Wu Shicun, chairman of the Huayang Institute for Research on Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance and director of the academic committee and at China's National Institute for South China Sea Studies, called for joint efforts to address challenges in maritime governance.
"Maritime governance is confronted with fragmentation, while maritime disputes are becoming increasingly heated, and rival blocs are forming on the water. The security of infrastructure -- under-sea cables in particular -- and the impact of unilateral actions on multilateral governance mechanisms are among the challenges that require a collective response," he said in an interview with China Central Television.
China calls for upholding fair, just international maritime order
