In a significant move for global ocean conservation, China has formally deposited its instrument of ratification for the United Nations Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The deposition occurred on December 15, 2025, according to official documents published on the UN website this Tuesday.
The groundbreaking international treaty, established under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, creates comprehensive legal frameworks for conserving and sustainably using marine biological diversity beyond national jurisdictions. The agreement specifically addresses critical areas including deep-sea genetic resources, establishment of marine protected areas, environmental impact assessments, and international capacity building initiatives.
This diplomatic achievement culminates a extensive negotiation process that began in 2004, involving more than 190 nations. The agreement reached consensus adoption on June 19, 2023, and opened for signatures that September. To date, 144 countries and the European Union have signed the accord, with 80 nations and the EU having completed their ratification processes.
China demonstrated its commitment to the agreement by signing on the first day it became available for signature. The country’s formal ratification was completed on October 28, 2025, when the 18th session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress approved the decision. China will officially become a contracting party when the agreement takes effect on January 17, 2026.
UN Secretary-General Guterres has hailed the ratification milestone as a “historic achievement for the ocean and for multilateralism,” recognizing the agreement’s significance in establishing international legal norms for deep-sea and open-ocean activities that will profoundly influence the global maritime order.