By Prof. Samitha Hettige

China quitting a USD 392 million logistics hub project in Sri Lanka was discussed by some in the recent days. Strategically positioned Island nations have a great potential to benefit from international trade & the ‘Blue Economy’. Sri Lanka hence, had varied experiences such as the opportunities from bilateral trade between Persian & Chinese empires & reduced impact of South Indian occupations etc. It exposed Sri Lanka to western colonization helping Sri Lankan human resources to go global. The potential for Sri Lanka to benefit from the ocean & how it’s done is a long discussed topic. Under such circumstances it’s good to learn from other success stories. 

World Ocean Week  

The World Ocean Week 2026 opened on 5^th November in China (Xiamen, Fujian Province) unveiling five outcomes which included a publication on seamounts & a dedicated ecological & environmental data product. The week includes 33 activities ranging from seminars on marine science, ecology, industries & business matchmaking events. The primary objective is to advance global ocean governance & high quality development of the ‘Blue Economy’ (Ref. Media).

The bilingual report compiled by China Institute for Marine Development Strategy (CIMDS) on the status, role & prospects of the agreement under the UN Convention on law of the sea on the conservation & sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) & China's role in it was also released on the 5th. The agreement took effect on January 17, 2026 becoming the 3^rd implementing agreement to the UN Convention on the law of the sea. It filled a legal gap in the conservation & governance of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction. The document outlines the significance of the agreement's entry into force & China's contributions to its negotiation & implementation. China participated in nearly two decades of negotiations & put forward proposals on the BBJN Agreement’s four key areas which included;

1. Promoting a benefit sharing mechanism for marine genetic resources
2. Advancing area based management tools.
3. Improving transparency in environmental impact assessments.
4. Helping developing countries build capacity to implement the agreement.

Chinese contributions to govern the ocean

1. Designated marine ecological conservation redlines covering approx. 150,000 SQKM.
2. Established 353 marine protected areas & carried out 194 marine ecological conservation projects.
3. Recorded a net increase in mangrove area & contributed Jiaolong & Fendouzhe submarines & research vessels such as Deep Sea No. 1 for available for international scientific expeditions.
4. Chinese scientists have preserved nearly 60,000 marine microbial resources & provided international users with access to samples & data.
5. Under the UN decade of ocean science for sustainable development, China has led 10 major international science programs which includes digital discovery of typical deep sea habitats.
6. Improved its legal framework for environmental impact assessments of activities in the international seabed area.
7. Signed marine cooperation agreements with more than 50 countries/ international organizations & established over 40 marine research centers & joint laboratories.
8. Invested approx. USD 30 million in more than 100 small scale marine cooperation projects & held more than 300 training courses in marine science, technology & management benefiting over 6000 young researchers & officials from developing countries (Ref. CIMDS).

Developing nations such as Sri Lanka should manage their ocean policies to benefit from China’s experience, environmental data, expertise, & trained personnel to assess deep sea activities to promote a greener, low carbon approach to ocean activities.

Author is an Academic & the Executive Director of the Zheng He Center in Colombo.

Photo Source: WWW Xiamen City, Fujiang Province