Build a Maritime Community with a Shared Future for Mankind Through International Maritime Cooperation
推进国际海事合作，共建海洋命运共同体
Speech by H.E. Ambassador Liu Xiaoming at the Reception on the Occasion of the 31st Regular Session of the Assembly of the International Maritime Organization
驻英国大使刘晓明在国际海事招待会上的讲话
26 November 2019
2019年11月26日
Secretary-General Lim,
Vice Minister Liu,
Your Excellencies Ministers,
Ambassadors and High Commissioners
Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Friends:
尊敬的国际海事组织秘书长林基泽先生，
尊敬的中国交通运输部副部长刘小明先生，
尊敬的各国部长，
尊敬的各国使节，
女士们、先生们、朋友们，
Good evening!
大家晚上好！
It gives me great pleasure to co-host this reception with Vice Minister Liu from the Ministry of Transport of China to mark the opening of the 31st Regular Session of the Assembly of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). I would like to extend my warmest welcome to all the distinguished guests! I also wish to express my heartfelt thanks to you for the support you have given to China in maritime affairs!
很高兴在国际海事组织第31届大会召开之际，与中国交通运输部副部长刘小明先生在中国驻英国使馆共同举办国际海事招待会。我谨对各位来宾表示热烈欢迎！对各位给予中国的大力支持表示衷心感谢！
This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. In the past 70 years, China has made great leaps forward under the leadership of the Communist Party of China. From gaining independence to becoming prosperous and growing strong, China has accomplished in 70 years what had taken Western industrialised countries hundreds of years to achieve. In this process, China’s maritime sector started from scratch, grew stronger over the years and achieved great success, playing its part in the overall development of nation. China has also contributed to the growth of the international maritime sector, and shared China’s wisdom in global maritime governance.
首先，中国是国际海事组织发展的重要参与者。中国连续30年成为国际海事组织A类理事国，在海运温室气体减排、船舶能效、海上安全等议题上发挥了重要作用，为国际海事组织有效运行做出了积极贡献。中国加入国际海事组织框架内几乎所有条约法规，是40多个主要国际公约及议定书的缔约方。中国一贯重视并支持国际海事组织对发展中国家的技术援助，不断加强与国际海事组织技术交流合作，为增强发展中国家能力建设做出大量努力。近两年，中国向国际海事组织技术合作基金共捐款60万美元，在上海成立的国际海事组织亚洲海事技术合作中心已成功运转两年多。这些都充分表明，中国与国际海事组织的合作正不断走向深入。
First, China is an important participant in the development of the IMO. As a category a member of the IMO Council for 30 years in a row, China has played an important role on issues such as reduction of greenhouse gas emission from shipping, energy efficiency of ships and maritime security. It has worked vigorously for the effective operation of the IMO. China has ratified almost all of the treaties under the IMO framework. It is now a party to more than 40 major international conventions and protocols. China always values and supports the IMO in providing technological assistance to the developing world. It has been enhancing exchanges and cooperation with the IMO on maritime technology. And it has made tremendous efforts to help with the capacity building in fellow developing countries. In the past two years, China has contributed 600 thousand dollars to the IMO Technical Cooperation Fund. The Maritime Technology Cooperation Centre for Asia, which was launched in Shanghai more than two years ago, is running smoothly. All these show an ever-deepening cooperation between China and the IMO.
首先，中国是国际海事组织发展的重要参与者。中国连续30年成为国际海事组织A类理事国，在海运温室气体减排、船舶能效、海上安全等议题上发挥了重要作用，为国际海事组织有效运行做出了积极贡献。中国加入国际海事组织框架内几乎所有条约法规，是40多个主要国际公约及议定书的缔约方。中国一贯重视并支持国际海事组织对发展中国家的技术援助，不断加强与国际海事组织技术交流合作，为增强发展中国家能力建设做出大量努力。近两年，中国向国际海事组织技术合作基金共捐款60万美元，在上海成立的国际海事组织亚洲海事技术合作中心已成功运转两年多。这些都充分表明，中国与国际海事组织的合作正不断走向深入。
Second, China is an important leader in the development of the international shipping industry. China is keeping abreast with the trend of the times and working to build a modern shipping system that is safe, convenient, efficient, economical and green. In 2018, the freight capacity of China’s ports totaled 14.351 billion tons and the container capacity stood at 251 million TEUs, topping the world for 16 years in a row. Forty-one ports in China have the freight capacity of more than 100 million tons, and seven have made the list of the world’s top ten ports in freight and container capacity. China also tops the world in the number of ships built, accounting for more than 40% of the global market shares. By 2019, China boasted the second biggest fleet in the world, with DWTs reaching 270 million tons. Now China is operating a global network of shipping services, with routes extending to more than 100 countries and regions.
第二，中国是国际航运业发展的重要引领者。中国航运业顺应世界潮流，努力建设安全、便捷、高效、经济、绿色的现代化海运体系。2018年，中国港口货物吞吐量143.51亿吨，集装箱吞吐量2.51亿标准箱，连续16年位居世界首位；中国有港口货物吞吐量亿吨大港41个，在世界港口货物吞吐量和集装箱吞吐量排名前十中，中国港口均占7席；中国造船完工量世界第一，占据世界市场份额四成多。2019年中国海运船队规模达到2.7亿载重吨，跃居世界第二位。中国国际运输航线往来100多个国家和地区，海运服务网遍布全球。
Third, China is an important contributor to global maritime governance. Maritime governance is an important part of global governance. At the fourth plenary session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China concluded early this month, it was emphasised that China will hold high the banner of building a community with a shared future for mankind. And China will take an active part in the reform and building of the global governance system. At the event marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of the PLA Navy last April, President Xi Jinping proposed to build a maritime community with a shared future for mankind. This represents China’s wisdom and solution regarding global maritime governance. China upholds the global governance concept of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefit. In line with this concept, China will engage deeply in global maritime governance. It will promote sound and sustained development of the ocean economy. It will deepen mutually-beneficial cooperation with other countries to protect ocean environment, promote innovation and application of maritime science and technology, share maritime public goods and safeguard maritime security. And it will work with other countries to build “blue partnerships”, namely a win-win maritime cooperation.
第三，中国是全球海洋治理的重要贡献者。海洋治理是全球治理的重要组成部分。不久前召开的中国共产党十九届四中全会强调，中国将高举构建人类命运共同体旗帜，积极参与全球治理体系改革和建设。今年4月，习近平主席在纪念中国人民解放军海军成立70周年之际提出推动构建“海洋命运共同体”，这是中国为全球海洋治理贡献的中国智慧、中国方案。中国秉持共商共建共享的全球治理观，深度参与全球海洋治理，推动海洋经济持续健康发展，在海洋环境保护、海洋科技创新与应用、海洋公共产品共享、海洋安全维护等领域不断深化与各国的互利合作，共同构建合作共赢的“蓝色伙伴关系”。
Ladies and Gentlemen:
女士们，先生们，
The world is undergoing profound changes unseen in a century. The global maritime sector is faced with opportunities as well as challenges. According to WTO predictions, the growth rate of global trade in 2019 is expected to drop to a ten-year low of 1.2%. The international shipping industry needs concerted efforts more than ever to oppose protectionism and create an environment for free and open competition.
当今世界正处于百年未有之大变局。全球海洋事业发展既面临机遇，也面临挑战。据世界贸易组织预计，2019年全球贸易增速将降至1.2%，为十年来最低。国际航运业比以往任何时候都更需要共同反对贸易保护主义，共同营造自由、开放的竞争环境。
Over the years, Hong Kong has been an international centre for shipping and trade. However, the incessant large-scale illegal violence in recent months has pushed Hong Kong into an extremely dangerous situation. The nature of what is happening in Hong Kong has nothing to do with democracy or freedom as claimed by some Western politicians and media. The essence of this issue is that extreme violent offenders have trampled on rule of law, disrupted public order, severely undermined the prosperity and stability in Hong Kong, and challenged the bottom line of “One Country, Two Systems”. Their actions are extreme, violent and illegal. Such violence cannot be allowed to rage on in Hong Kong. The Chinese Government firmly supports the SAR Government, the police and the judicial institutions of Hong Kong in ending violence and restoring order. The Chinese Government also remains unwavering in its determination to safeguard China’s national sovereignty, security and development interests, implement “One Country, Two Systems”, and oppose any interference from external forces in Hong Kong affairs. It is our hope that the international community will have a clear understanding of the nature of what is happening in Hong Kong, strongly condemn and oppose the violent activities, have faith in Hong Kong and help the “oriental pearl” to once again shine brightly.
长期以来，香港是国际航运和贸易中心。但近一个时期，持续不断的大规模违法暴力活动，将香港推到极为危险的境地。香港事态的本质绝不是一些西方政客和西方媒体标榜的所谓“民主自由”问题，而是极端暴力违法分子严重践踏香港法治和社会秩序，严重破坏香港繁荣稳定，严重挑战“一国两制”原则底线，是赤裸裸的极端暴力犯罪活动。我们绝不能任由违法暴力活动在香港肆虐。中国政府坚定支持香港特区政府、香港警方和司法机构止暴制乱、恢复秩序，坚定不移维护国家主权、安全、发展利益，坚定不移贯彻“一国两制”方针，坚定不移反对外部势力干涉香港事务。我们希望国际社会能够认清香港事态本质，坚决谴责和反对暴力行径，对香港保持信心，共同支持香港重现东方之珠的光彩。
Ladies and Gentlemen:
女士们，先生们，
Let me quote a famous line from an ancient Chinese poem to conclude my remarks. A time will come to ride the wind and cleave the waves; I’ll set my cloud-white sail and cross the sea which raves. As an important member of the IMO family, China stands ready to work with other member states to promote the development of global maritime sector, deepen international cooperation on maritime affairs, and advance the development of the international shipping industry. Let’s join hands to create an ocean of peace, cooperation and harmony. Let’s work together to build a maritime community with a shared future for mankind!
长风破浪会有时，直挂云帆济沧海。作为国际海事组织大家庭中的重要成员，中国愿与各成员国一道，推进全球海洋事业进步，深化国际海事合作，促进国际航运业发展，为建设一个和平、合作、和谐的海洋，为构建海洋命运共同体共同做出努力！
Now, may I invite you to join me in a toast:
现在，我提议，
To the friendship between China and the IMO,
为中国与国际海事组织的友好合作关系，
To a brighter future for international maritime cooperation, and
为国际海事合作的美好未来，
To the health of all the distinguished guests present tonight,
为各位来宾的健康，
Cheers!
干杯！