XIAMEN, June 8 (Xinhua) — China has seen new progress in the development of its marine economy and promoted cooperation and partnership in international maritime governance, an official said here on Saturday.

The country has made constant efforts to improve the protection and development of marine resources, said Sun Shuxian, vice minister of natural resources and head of the State Oceanic Administration, at a ceremony in Xiamen, east China’s Fujian Province, to mark the World Oceans Day.

Official data showed that China’s marine economy accounted for about 8 percent of its GDP during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025). In 2023, the economic aggregate of China’s marine industry reached 9.9 trillion yuan (about 1.39 trillion U.S. dollars), playing a key role in stabilizing economic growth.

In the first quarter of this year, the container throughput for foreign trade at China’s ports increased 11 percent year on year, due to the rebound of external demand and a relatively low base a year earlier, according to data from the Ministry of Natural Resources.

To promote the development of a marine community with a shared future, China has signed cooperation agreements with more than 50 countries and international organizations, said the vice minister.

Looking ahead, China will advance the building of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, facilitate in-depth bilateral and multilateral cooperation with coastal countries, and fully participate in the formulation and implementation of mechanisms and rules for international maritime governance, Sun said.