On 25 November 2025, Chinese Ambassador to the UK and China’s Permanent Representative to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Zheng Zeguang co-hosted a reception at the Chinese Embassy in the UK with Vice Minister of Transport Li Yang, who was leading the Chinese delegation to the 34th session of the IMO Assembly. The reception showcased China’s achievements in maritime shipping and its participation in global maritime governance cooperation. A ceremony was held to inaugurate China’s Permanent Mission to the IMO. Nearly 300 guests attended the event, including IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez, heads of delegations to the IMO Assembly, diplomatic envoys to the UK, and representatives from various sectors.

In his remarks, Ambassador Zheng congratulated the opening of the 34th session of the IMO Assembly and expressed his appreciation to Secretary-General Dominguez, the IMO Secretariat, and representatives of other Member States for their support and cooperation. He noted that during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), China’s economic strength, scientific and technological capabilities, and composite national strength reached new heights. He added that China will launch its 15th Five-Year Plan next year and will continue to advance Chinese modernisation through high-quality development, foster new quality productive forces in light of local conditions, and pursue high-standard opening up, thus continuing to provide stability and positive momentum to the world. 

Ambassador Zheng stressed that the shipping industry is a key link connecting China with the world. China firmly upholds the international system with the UN at its core and practises true multilateralism. The establishment of China’s Permanent Mission once again demonstrates China’s high regard and support for the IMO, a UN specialised agency. China stands ready to deepen exchanges, coordination and cooperation with the IMO Secretariat and other Member States, and to make new contributions to global maritime governance cooperation and the security and smooth functioning of global industrial and supply chains secure and smooth.

In his remarks, Vice Minister Li emphasised China’s readiness to earnestly fulfil its obligations under international conventions, shoulder its responsibilities as a major country, and take the establishment of the Permanent Mission as an opportunity to deepen cooperation with other IMO Member States, build a modern shipping system, and contribute more to global economic growth and to the stability of industrial and supply chains.

Secretary-General Dominguez and other guests congratulated China on the establishment of its Permanent Mission, and spoke highly of China’s remarkable achievements in the shipping industry and its important contributions to international maritime cooperation.