China Strengthens Global South Maritime Capacity Through Joint Projects

What changed

China has released a Chinese- and English-language report in Xiamen assessing the biodiversity agreement for areas beyond national jurisdiction and Beijing’s role in putting it into practice.

The report says China has:

• Signed marine-cooperation agreements with more than 50 countries and international organisations, including the United Nations Environment Programme.
• Established more than 40 joint marine research centres and laboratories with partners including Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Mozambique and Jamaica.
• Invested about 200 million yuan in more than 100 small marine-cooperation projects.
• Opened deep-sea research platforms to international partners and observed a voluntary pause on high-seas fishing.

China is described as an early signatory and current party to the agreement.

Why it matters

The practical issue is capacity. Marine biodiversity rules are only as useful as the countries able to study, monitor and apply them. Research centres, laboratories and access to deep-sea platforms give partner countries more tools to participate in that work rather than simply follow rules shaped elsewhere.

The financial figures show the scale China wants associated with that role. The report says Beijing established a $4 billion Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund and a $200 million China-UN Peace and Development Fund, while directing roughly 200 million yuan toward marine projects in countries including Thailand, Angola, Madagascar and Nauru.

But the report’s assessment of China’s contribution is an institutional position, not proof of international consensus. The more meaningful test will be whether these partnerships produce durable research capacity, local jobs and stronger implementation of the agreement over time.