Faure Essozimna Gnassingbe, president of the Council of the Togolese Republic, has spoken highly of China's proven record in global ocean governance, expressing confidence in Xiamen's bid to host the permanent secretariat of the historic United Nations marine treaty.

The West African leader, who revisited the coastal city of Xiamen in Fujian province after 31 years, made the remarks in a recent interview with China Daily during his eight-day official visit to China, which runs through Friday.

To get a firsthand look at China's marine governance efforts, Gnassingbe's delegation visited the Third Institute of Oceanography under the Ministry of Natural Resources in Xiamen on Sunday. There, they learned about the institute's pivotal work in biodiversity conservation, including conservation efforts for the Chinese white dolphin — an iconic species affectionately dubbed the "giant pandas of the sea", which is native to Xiamen's waters.

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Building on its long-standing practice in sustainable marine development, Xiamen has launched its bid to host the permanent secretariat of the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction. The historic treaty, which entered into force in January, protects marine life across nearly two-thirds of the world's oceans, and its secretariat will serve as the operational hub coordinating international cooperation for global ocean governance.

"I believe China possesses an exceptionally strong advantage," Gnassingbe said.

China boasts a long, widely recognized maritime tradition and highly modernized infrastructure, with exceptional facilities already in place for the potential secretariat headquarters, the Togolese leader noted.

"China has a proven record of consistently fulfilling its international commitments," Gnassingbe said, adding that the country also boasts formidable marine scientific research capabilities.

He noted that China's development is deeply anchored in port activities, technological advancements and marine environmental protection, which gives unparalleled legitimacy to its bid.

Gnassingbe emphasized that for African nations, what matters most is that the secretariat can deliver tangible benefits to help developing countries participate in global governance.

He underscored that a highly mature dialogue mechanism already exists through the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, where both sides have balanced and coordinated mutual interests based on mutual respect.

Gnassingbe said that, under the framework of cooperation, China can support Togo in training marine specialists and sharing scientific data, which is pivotal to empowering Togo's pursuit of a sustainable blue economy.

Meanwhile, Togo hopes to learn from China's model of linking ports, industrial parks and industry clusters, alongside its comprehensive production ecosystem. This approach will help to transform the Port of Lome — West Africa's premier maritime gateway — from a basic transshipment node into a hub with production and manufacturing capabilities that retain more economic value locally, he said.

Gnassingbe noted that African nations possess uneven capabilities in the marine sector, adding that many still face severe bottlenecks in oceanographic research, data access and marine science and technology development.

"China possesses rich experience and distinct advantages to enhance African participation in ocean governance," Gnassingbe said. China could foster partnerships between international and African research bodies to build high-level scientific centers, thereby facilitating data access and sharing, he added.

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"It's crucial to ensure the fair sharing of benefits and dividends arising from the utilization of marine genetic resources, which is of paramount importance to us," he added.

Togo has already signed and ratified the agreement. Gnassingbe said that beyond representation in international bodies, developing nations must gain the capacity to generate scientific knowledge, conduct research and fully engage in multilateral governance decisions.

"Xiamen stands a very strong chance of winning the bid, and we would feel completely reassured to see the institution established here," Gnassingbe said.

Contact the writers at zhangyi1@chinadaily.com.cn