International Piracy and China’s Sea Lanes Security

　　PhD Candidate, College of Education, Zhejiang University

　　Abstract: As a world trading power and a large importer of energy resources, China’s development is increasing reliant on foreign energy supplies. As a result, security of open sea lanes of communication becomes increasingly important to China’s national security. In this case, piracy as an international crime not only affects general safety at sea, it also threatens to China’s strategic sea lanes of communication. Piracy, and corresponding antipiracy measures and policy, are key items on the China’s agenda to safeguard its maritime security. China needs to take effective actions to address these issues. It is thus important that China improves its domestic antipiracy legislations and mechanisms. Via the institutions of the United Nations, China also needs to build up antipiracy and “safe-sea” regimes with littoral states. Beijing’s support for international and regional cooperation against piracy is important too, and so is the pursuit for greater antipiracy capabilities and awareness, in particular through the buildup of its high seas naval capacities. The needs to address both the symptoms and the root causes cannot be more emphasized, and the promotion of peace, development and stability in nations and regions suffering from piracy problems is most crucial to China’s efforts to tackle the problem.