"Agreement boosts ocean governance", China Daily, 25 December 2025

According to UN documents published on Tuesday, China deposited its instrument of ratification of the BBNJ Agreement with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Dec 15.

The agreement [...] seeks to conserve and sustainably use marine biological diversity [...]. It has further established legal norms for deep-sea and open-sea activities in areas beyond the national jurisdiction of all countries [...].

So far, 144 countries and the European Union have signed the agreement, and 80 countries and the EU have deposited instruments of ratification, approval, acceptance or accession.