On September 20, 2023 local time, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu, on behalf of the Chinese government, signed 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" at the United Nations headquarters in New York. The Agreement includes the access to and sharing of marine genetic resources, establishment of marine protected areas, environmental impact assessments, capacity building and transfer of marine technology, among others, aiming to further establish rules and regulations for global ocean governance. The negotiations for the Agreement began in 2004 and it was finally concluded in June 2023, spanning nearly 20 years.

China actively participated in the negotiation process of the Agreement under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, playing a constructive role in the finalization of the Agreement. By signing this important legal document on the first day of the opening for signatures of the Agreement, China once again demonstrates its strong commitment to the protection and sustainable use of the oceans and its dedication to upholding and safeguarding true multilateralism.