China makes case for Xiamen as BBNJ Secretariat's home for the future: An interview with Yi Xianliang

Editor's note: The Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction, or the BBNJ Agreement, is a significant ocean-related international treaty under the framework of the United Nations. It was adopted on June 19, 2023, and entered into force on Jan 17, 2026.

China deposited its instrument of ratification with the UN Secretary-General on Dec 15, 2025, becoming one of the first Parties to the Agreement. On Jan 16, 2026, the eve of the Agreement's entry into force, China nominated Xiamen as a candidate city to host its Secretariat. Belgium and Chile had previously nominated Brussels and Valparaiso, respectively. The seat of the Secretariat will be decided at the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Agreement, scheduled for January 2027.

What is the significance of the Agreement for global ocean governance? Why is China bidding to host its Secretariat? What advantages does Xiamen offer? China Daily spoke with Yi Xianliang, special envoy for BBNJ Secretariat Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to discuss these questions. Before assuming his current post, Yi served as Chinese ambassador to Norway, Chinese ambassador to Sri Lanka and Director-General of the Department of Boundary and Ocean Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Q1: Could you outline how the BBNJ Agreement came about and explain its significance? What contributions did China make to its conclusion and entry into force?

A: The ocean is the common home of humanity, and promoting its sustainable development serves the shared interests of the international community. The process of negotiating the BBNJ Agreement began in 2004. After 19 years, the Agreement was adopted by consensus at UN Headquarters in New York on June 19, 2023, and entered into force on Jan 17, 2026. The Agreement applies to the high seas and the international seabed area, which together account for about two-thirds of the global ocean coverage. It focuses on four areas: marine genetic resources; area-based management tools; environmental impact assessments; and capacity-building and the transfer of marine technology. By establishing a series of new regimes and regulation, the Agreement represents a new achievement in the development of the modern law of the sea. It will help shape a fairer and more equitable international maritime order and bears on the well-being of all humanity.

At a time when multilateralism and the international rule of law face serious challenges, the Agreement's adoption and entry into force carry profound practical and political significance. H.E. Csaba Kőrösi, president of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly, said the adoption of the Agreement demonstrated "the power of multilateralism" and provided a solution for advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including its ocean-related Goal 14. UN Secretary-General António Guterres described the Agreement's entry into force as "a historic achievement for the ocean and for multilateralism" and called it "a lifeline for the ocean and humanity".

China is a major and rapidly developing maritime country. It is deeply involved in global ocean governance, committed to the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity, and works actively with other countries to advance the ocean-related goal of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. China participated throughout the negotiations on the Agreement. It consistently upheld multilateralism and approached the talks from the perspective of safeguarding the overall interests of the international community. China made important contributions to achieving a practical and balanced outcome and upholding a fair and equitable international maritime order. China signed the Agreement at UN Headquarters in New York on Sept 20, 2023, the first day it was opened for signature, and deposited its instrument of ratification with the UN Secretary-General on Dec 15, 2025. When the Agreement entered into force on Jan 17, 2026, China became one of its first Parties. Through these concrete actions, China demonstrated its commitment as a major country to upholding multilateralism and improving global governance.

Q2: Why is China bidding to host the BBNJ Secretariat?

A: The Agreement is a landmark international treaty under the UN framework, and its effective implementation is vital to the well-being of all humanity. To better fulfil the commitments and mission of the Agreement and safeguard the fundamental interests of the international community, we need a Secretariat commensurate with the Agreement's importance and promising future. China is both willing and able to contribute to this endeavour.

China has always been committed to supporting the work of the United Nations. As a founding member of the UN and a permanent member of the Security Council, China has long demonstrated its support for the organization through firm commitments and concrete actions, including major and unique contributions to ocean governance and sustainable development. Hosting the Secretariat in China would strongly advance the UN's ocean agenda and contribute to the continued improvement of global governance.

China has always been committed to promoting human-ocean harmony. It is one of the countries with the richest marine biodiversity in the world and has extensive experience in protecting and restoring marine ecosystems. China is also a major country engaged in deep-sea and distant-ocean activities and continues to use its capabilities to support the development of humanity's shared ocean endeavours. Locating the Secretariat in China would help ensure the full and balanced fulfilment of the Agreement's dual objectives of conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity.

China has always been committed to making global governance more balanced and inclusive. Asia accounts for approximately 60 percent of the world's population and nearly half of global GDP, while contributing more than 60 percent of global economic growth. Yet, to this day, the vast majority of UN headquarters bodies, specialized agencies and global treaty institutions are located in Europe and the Americas, with none currently based in Asia. If the Secretariat were located in China, it would be the first global institution under the UN framework headquartered in Asia. This would contribute to a fairer and more equitable global governance system and enable the Asia and Global South to make greater contributions to global governance.

Q3: Why did China choose Xiamen as its candidate host city for the Secretariat?

A: Xiamen has a profound maritime heritage, a strong record of marine environmental protection, advanced marine science and technology, and extensive international cooperation on ocean affairs. It is an ideal seat for the Secretariat.

Xiamen's age-old bond with the ocean has been preserved as a living tradition across millennia, continuing to this day. Since ancient times, Xiamen has been a vital trading port fueling national prosperity, a maritime gateway of China's external cooperation, and a window for inter-cultural dialogue. As early as the Song and Yuan dynasties (960-1368 CE), Xiamen was already exporting Chinese porcelain overseas via the Maritime Silk Road. To this day, it remains a nexus on the Maritime Silk Road, with maritime shipping routes connecting it to the world.

Xiamen is a quintessential garden city on the sea, with an outstanding ecological environment and 265 kilometres of beautiful coastline. More than 70 square kilometres of national nature reserves for rare marine species have been established in its coastal waters. Chinese white dolphins play freely in the waves, mangrove forests flourish, and the mountains, sea, lakes, islands and city form a harmonious landscape that epitomizes the beauty of coexistence between humanity and the ocean.

Xiamen has strong marine research capabilities. It is the birthplace of China's marine science and an Asian-Pacific research hub with global influence. The city is home to several internationally renowned marine research institutions, nearly 5,000 marine researchers and 30 marine science and technology research and development platforms. It also serves as the home port of several world-class advanced research vessels.

Xiamen is an open, inclusive and diverse city. It has established sister/friendship relations with 42 prominent cities and provinces and 19 renowned ports around the world. It is home to international cooperation platforms such as the APEC Marine Sustainable Development Center and the China-ASEAN Maritime Cooperation Center. Xiamen has hosted World Ocean Week for 20 consecutive years, with cumulative participants from around the world exceeding two million.

The city also has a convenient international transport network. With the launch of a direct air service to London in early September this year, the number of international passenger routes serving Xiamen has risen to almost 30. They connect the city with major global aviation hubs including Singapore, Jakarta, Doha, Bangkok, Paris, Amsterdam, Sydney, Melbourne, Vancouver and Los Angeles. A direct route to Addis Ababa is also scheduled to open by the end of the year. While Xiamen Xiang'an International Airport is set to begin operations in December 2026, further expanding the city's international air network.

Xiamen offers excellent working and living conditions, with a safe social environment, a dynamic economy, high-quality medical services and abundant educational resources. Secretariat personnel, delegates attending the BBNJ meetings in China and their accompanying family members would all enjoy a high-quality working and living environment at a relatively low cost, with convenient access to medical care, education and employment.

Q4: What commitments has China made to the international community in support of its bid to host the Secretariat?

A: In March this year, the third session of the BBNJ Preparatory Commission was held at UN Headquarters in New York. Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and Chinese foreign minister, addressed the session via video link. Chinese vice-foreign minister Hua Chunying attended the meeting in person and presented China's bidding proposal in full, setting out the solemn commitments of the Chinese government to the international community.

China will provide concrete infrastructure support for the Secretariat of the BBNJ Agreement in performing its duties. To meet the Secretariat's office requirements and accommodate various capacity-building and training activities, China has prepared a modern 15-storey office building and two high-quality supporting buildings nestled at the heart of Xiamen on a long term, free-of-charge basis. The facilities are fully equipped and offer ample space, allowing the Secretariat to move in immediately. The adjacent Xiamen International Conference Center could host meetings of the Conference of the Parties, bilateral consultations and other meetings of varying scales.

China will provide comprehensive institutional safeguards for the Secretariat. In addition to fully applying the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, China is prepared to grant the Secretariat and relevant personnel competitive privileges and immunities ensuring their performance of duties and participation in the work related to the Agreement. China will also provide convenient and expedited visa services for Secretariat officials and meeting participants travelling to China, as well as facilitation and courtesies for their entry into the country and performance of official duties in China.

China will also provide valuable financial support. It will contribute $3 million to the voluntary trust fund under the Agreement to support the participation of representatives from developing countries in relevant meetings. China will also contribute to the special fund under the Agreement to support capacity-building activities related to its implementation.

Through financial support and capacity-building, China assists developing countries in implementing the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. By far, China has trained more than 100,000 marine professionals for over 50 developing countries. During the UN Ocean Conference held in Nice, France, China announced to continue to carry out 100 marine-related capacity-building projects and to provide 5,000 training opportunities for developing countries in three years.

These commitments are consistent with relevant international rules and established practices. More importantly, they demonstrate China's sincerity and sense of responsibility in fully supporting the Secretariat in performing its duties. They also represent a Chinese proposal and contribution to the effective implementation and long-term development of the Agreement, as well as to the broader participation of developing countries in its work.

Q5: What would you say to those who are considering whether to support China's bid to host the BBNJ Secretariat?

A: As Foreign Minister Wang Yi wrote in his welcome message accompanying China's proposal to host the Secretariat, "Give China this opportunity, together we will create a legend for the world."

China is a steadfast supporter, defender and builder of the United Nations. Amid a fluid and turbulent international landscape, China remains firmly committed to safeguarding the UN-centred international system and the international order based on international law. Choosing China means choosing a future of greater certainty and stability for global governance.

China has a long and rich maritime civilization. Since ancient times, the oceans and the sea have served as a bridge of friendly relations between China and other countries. Today, China is committed to advancing a modernization characterized by harmony between humanity and nature and to building a community of all life on Earth. Choosing China means choosing to advance the sustainable development of the ocean and improve the well-being of all humanity.

China will always share a common future with developing countries. China's bid to host the Secretariat in Xiamen will help increase the representation and influence of the Global South and developing countries in global ocean governance. Choosing China means choosing a fairer and more equitable global ocean governance system.

China is ready. Xiamen is ready. We look forward to seeing the Secretariat make its home in Xiamen and welcoming friends from across the world to gather in the city.