Inclusivity critical for maritime public goods

The world has a wide variety of maritime public goods, but there is a structural imbalance in the provision of these goods.

There is considerable international cooperation and public goods in fishery resources.

But in other fields, such as maritime security and polar governance, the interests of different countries collide, leading to a shortage of relevant public goods.

Another problem lies in the imbalance of participants. There is a divide between the Global North and the Global South. Developed countries tend to follow the approach of "small yards, high fences", which effectively denies most developing countries access to the maritime public goods they provide.

A public good is defined by non-excludability and non-rivalry in nature. But many maritime public goods around the world fall in the category of quasi-public goods or club goods — goods that only a limited number of countries can use.

A typical example is the provision of public goods by some Western countries. These goods are highly exclusive, and often marked by attempts to impose stringent standards and high thresholds to keep China out.

China launched the Belt and Road Initiative and proposed the building of a maritime community with a shared future. It has provided maritime public goods — such as institutional frameworks, technological support and deep-sea data — which are available to all countries.

Guided by the vision of a maritime community with a shared future, China contributes to ocean conservation, maritime resource utilization and maritime security by offering its own solutions.

But China is facing unprecedented challenges, especially the intensifying geopolitical competition. It is therefore essential for the country to strengthen cooperation with other BRICS countries and other countries of the Global South.

Through this cooperation, it can demonstrate the openness, stability and inclusiveness of its supply of global maritime public goods.