China opposes certain countries parading their naval power, forming cliques and infringing upon the legitimate rights of other countries while pursuing maritime hegemony, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi declared on Tuesday. 

Wang made the remarks while addressing the Symposium on Global Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance 2021 via video link.  

The destiny and future of countries are linked as they face the same complicated economic situations and security challenges, and mankind should not be divided into different islands or camps by ocean, Wang said.  

"Instead, we should unite more through the ocean to build a maritime community with a shared future," he added. 

Wang called on countries to uphold the banner of multilateralism, safeguard the international system with the UN at its core and safeguard the maritime order based on international laws.   

On the South China Sea, Wang said that China and ASEAN countries have been actively committing to full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and pushing for new progress in the consultation of Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC).  

Next year marks the 20th anniversary of the signing of the DOC by China and ASEAN, and the two sides should take this opportunity to reach an early conclusion on the COC and build the South China Sea into a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation, Wang said. 

The ocean is the common home of all countries in the world, Wang said, stressing that "we should care for and protect the oceans and seas as we do for life." 

He called on all countries to develop and utilize marine resources in an orderly manner, and join hands to address global challenges such as climate warming and sea-level rise. 

China attaches great importance to the construction of marine ecological civilization, Wang said, adding the country is strengthening the prevention and control of marine environmental pollution and the protection of marine biodiversity to achieve the orderly exploitation of marine resources. 

China is also willing to deepen cooperation with other countries in these areas, and jointly make due contributions to the green development of the oceans, he noted. 

(With input from Global Times)