7月23日至27日，国际海底管理局（以下简称“海管局”）第24届大会会议在位于牙买加首都金斯敦的海管局总部召开。中国代表团团长、常驻国际海底管理局代表田琦大使率团与会，并于7月24日在大会“秘书长报告”议题下发言，全文如下：　　

　　主席先生，　　

　　中国代表团祝贺您当选本届大会主席，我们将一如既往地支持主席和主席团工作，相信在您的领导下，本届会议将取得圆满成功。我们要感谢牙买加政府和人民一直以来对国际海底管理局工作给予的大力协助和宝贵支持。　　

　　主席先生，　　

　　中国代表团感谢秘书长所作年度报告。该报告全面梳理了过去一年海管局的各项工作。无论是秘书处内部工作，还是与其他相关国际组织开展的交流与合作，以及管理勘探合同和制定深海矿产资源开发规章等，都取得了显著成果。中方对此表示赞赏，并期待海管局工作在未来取得更大进展。　　

　　当前，国际海底事务仍处在从勘探向开发过渡的关键阶段。2017年海管局完成首次国际海底制度定期审查，并通过了审查委员会报告。报告中的部分要求已得到有效落实，如改变会议模式，今年首次举行两次海管局理事会会议；设立新的自愿信托基金，资助发展中国家理事会成员参会；加强对成员国现行相关国内法的了解和研究等。　　

　　制定战略计划是落实定期审查报告的重要内容。本次会议的一项重要任务就是审议并通过海管局战略计划。中方认为，战略计划是未来一段时期海管局工作的顶层设计，对推进国际海底事业向前发展具有重要意义。正如秘书长报告所列，根据1994年《执行协定》，海管局在开发工作计划获得核准前，肩负着“监测和审查深海底采矿活动方面的趋势和发展，包括定期分析世界金属市场情况和金属价格、趋势和前景”以及“研究‘区域’内矿物生产对可能受到最严重影响的这些矿物的发展中陆上生产国经济可能产生的影响”等法定职责。这些法定职责应该在战略计划中得到充分体现。　　

　　在上周理事会会议上，各方就深海矿产资源开发规章进行了深入而热烈的讨论，不少问题已达成共识，同时还有许多问题需要进一步研究和探讨。中方始终认为，开发规章涉及采矿、法律、技术、环境等多个领域，不能一蹴而就，其制定须遵循“充分讨论、协商一致”原则，在具备坚实的事实和科学依据基础上循序推进。开发规章本身应全面、完整、严格地遵守《公约》和1994年《执行协定》；应当体现全人类利益、担保国及其承包者利益之间的合理平衡以及深海开发利用与深海环境保护之间的合理平衡。开发规章的核心目标是落实“人类共同继承财产”原则，作为该项原则关键要素的惠益分享应该在开发规章中作出规定。此外，企业部独立运作对于发展中国家参与“区域”内活动具有特殊意义，开发规章应对此作出安排。　　

　　根据《公约》，海管局有义务采取措施，确保海洋环境不受“区域”内活动可能的有害影响。区域环境管理计划作为一种积极的划区管理工具，是海管局在战略层面采取的重要环保措施。中方认为，开发规章应对区域环境管理计划这一重要环保事项作出具体规定；区域环境管理计划的设立需要海管局的引领和承包者之间的合作；有关标准应与拟议中的BBNJ国际协定谈判相协调。　　

　　主席先生，　　

　　中国积极参与国际海底事务，先后分别就开发规章草案和战略计划草案提交书面评论意见。中国重视履行担保国责任和义务，在2016年《深海海底区域资源勘探开发法》实施后，启动了配套法规的制定工作。中国国家海洋局于2017年颁布实施了三个涉及“区域”内勘探活动的规范性文件。　　

　　中国作为发展中国家，积极支持其他发展中国家参与海底事务。多年来，中国持续向管理局自愿信托基金捐款，用以资助发展中国家委员出席法技委和财委会议。今后，中方将继续向海管局有关基金或项目捐款，支持国际海底事业稳步发展。　　

　　中国担保的勘探合同承包者严格履行合同义务，并积极参与海管局有关深海环境保护工作。今年5月，中国勘探矿区承包者者中国大洋协会与海管局在中国青岛联合举办了“西北太平洋海山区区域环境管理计划国际研讨会”，会议成果为在相关海底区域设立区域环境管理计划提供了宝贵基础。　　

　　主席先生，　　

　　中方倡导构建人类命运共同体，与国际海底区域及其资源属于人类共同继承财产原则密不可分。中方愿与各方一道，本着共商共建共享的精神和原则，致力于促进深海矿产资源开发和深海环境保护，为增进全人类的共同利益和共同福祉作出贡献。

　　参考译文：

　　Mr. President,　　

　　The Chinese delegation congratulates you on your election to the presidency of the current session of the Assembly.  As always, we will support you and the Bureau in your work.  It is my conviction that, under your able leadership, the current session will be crowned with success. We wish to thank the Jamaican government and people for the enormous assistance and valuable support that they have accorded ISA over the years.　　

　　Mr. President,　　

　　The Chinese delegation wishes to thank the Secretary-General for the annual report which covers the full spectrum of work of the International Seabed Authority over the past year.  Notable results have been achieved, ranging from the internal work of the Secretariat to the exchange and cooperation with other international organizations, and from the management of exploration contracts to the development of regulations governing the exploitation of deep-sea mineral resources. The Chinese government registers its appreciations and expects ISA to achieve greater progress in future.　　

　　As we speak, international seabed affairs are still at a crucial juncture of transitioning from exploration to exploitation.  In 2017, ISA completed its first periodic review of the international seabed regime and adopted the report of the review committee.  To date, part of the requirements contained in the report has been met effectively, ranging from changing the format of meetings as a result of which two sessions of the Council have been held this year, a first in history, to establishing a new voluntary trust fund to finance the attendance of Council members from developing countries, and to boosting the understanding of and study on related current domestic laws of Member States. 　　

　　Developing a strategic plan is an important area related to the implementation of the report on the periodic review. One of the most important tasks facing the current session is to consider and adopt the strategic plan of the Authority.  In China’s view, the strategic plan represents top-level design of the work of the Authority for the years to come, with an important bearing on advancing the international seabed undertaking.  As is stated in the Secretary-General’s report, according to the 1994 Implementing Agreement, prior to the approval of a plan of work for exploitation, ISA shoulders such mandated responsibilities as “monitoring and review of trends and developments relating to deep seabed mining activities, including regular analysis of world metal market conditions and metal prices, trends and prospects” as well as “study of the potential impact of mineral production from the Area on the economies of developing land-based producers of those minerals which are likely to be most seriously affected”.  All these statutory responsibilities should be fully reflected in the Strategic Plan. 

　　At the Council session last week, the parties held in-depth and animated discussions on the Regulations on exploitation of deep-sea mineral resources, with consensus reached on many issues while many others still warrant further studies and exploration. It has always been China’s view that as the Exploitation Regulations concern many a field, from mining to law, technology and environment, the development of the Regulations simply cannot be accomplished overnight, and can only progress in a sequential manner on the solid basis of facts and scientific evidence and in accordance with the principle of “extensive discussion and consensus through consultations”. The Exploitation Regulations should be comprehensive and complete, based on scrupulous compliance with UNCLOS and the 1994 Implementing Agreement while reflecting the reasonable balance between the interests of mankind as a whole and those of the sponsoring States and their contractors as well as the reasonable balance between deep-sea exploitation/use and deep-sea environmental protection.  The core objective of the Exploitation Regulations is to apply the “common heritage of mankind” principle while stipulations should be made in the Regulations on benefit-sharing, which is a core element of this principle.  In addition, as the independent operation of the Enterprise is of special significance for the participation of developing countries in activities in the Area, specific arrangements should be made thereon in the Regulations.　　

　　Under the Convention, the Authority has the obligation to take measures to ensure that the marine environment does not suffer from the harmful effect that may arise from activities in the Area. As a tool for active regional management, regional environmental management plans (REMPs) constitute an important environmental protection measure adopted by the Seabed Authority at the strategic level. China believes that the Exploitation Regulations should specify as an important priority for environmental protection the REMPs whose development requires ISA’s leadership and cooperation among the contractors; the relevant standards should be aligned with the proposed international agreement under the BBNJ negotiations. 　　

　　Mr. President,　　

　　As an active participant in international seabed affairs, China has submitted written comments on the draft Exploitation Regulations and the draft Strategic Plan respectively. China attaches great importance to fulfilling its responsibilities and obligations as a sponsoring State. After the promulgation of the Law on the Exploration for and Exploitation of Resources in the Deep Seabed Area in 2016, formulation of supporting legal regulations ensued. In 2017, the State Oceanic Administration of China promulgated three normative documents covering exploration activities in the Area.　　

　　As a developing country, China actively supports other fellow developing countries in participating in seabed affairs. For many years, China has continued to contribute to the Voluntary Trust Fund of the Authority to finance the participation of developing country members in meetings of the LTC and the Finance Committee. In future, China will continue to contribute to relevant funds or projects of the Authority in support of the steady development of the international seabed undertaking.　　

　　The exploration contractors sponsored by China have strictly fulfilled their contractual obligations and actively participated in ISA’s work for the protection of the deep seabed environment. Last May, COMRA, a Chinese mining-site exploration contractor, and ISA co-hosted in Qingdao, China the International Workshop on the Development of a REMP for Cobalt-rich Ferromaganese Crusts in the Northwest Pacific Ocean. The outcome of the workshop has laid a valuable foundation for the development of REMPs in other related seabed areas.　　

　　Mr. President,　　

　　The building of a community with shared future for mankind that China advocates is closely connected with the principle that the international seabed area and its resources are part and parcel of the common heritage of mankind. China is ready to work with all other parties, in keeping with the spirit and principle of wide consultation, joint contribution and shared benefit, in a concerted effort to promote the exploitation of deep-sea mineral resources and protection of the deep-sea environment, and to contribute to the common interests and well-being of mankind.　　

　　Thank you, Mr. President.