Xi Jinping on building maritime community with shared future

Chinese President and Central Military Commission Chairman Xi Jinping takes a group photo with the heads of foreign delegations invited to participate in the multinational naval events marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy, in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, on April 23, 2019. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

BEIJING, April 23 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy on Friday celebrated its founding anniversary.

Two years ago, Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, proposed building a maritime community with a shared future when he met with heads of the foreign delegations invited to participate in events marking the 70th founding anniversary of the PLA Navy.

The following is a selection of his remarks, calling on people to cherish the ocean and make joint efforts to address common threats at sea.

-- The ocean does not separate our blue planet into isolated continents; instead, it links the peoples of all countries to form a global community of shared future that remains bound together through thick and thin.

-- Maritime peace has a bearing on the safety and interests of all countries, and thus needs to be protected and cherished by all.

-- We need to ... join hands to respond to common threats and challenges and to maintain maritime peace.

-- We need to care for the ocean as dearly as we treasure our lives.

-- As a Chinese saying goes, "The ocean is vast because it admits all rivers." Whenever a problem crops up, countries concerned should always hold deliberations in good faith, rather than resort to the use or threat of force at will.