The Chinese government is ready to participate in international cooperation and contribute its share for maintaining and enhancing the safe navigation of the Malacca Straits with dominant role of the littoral states, an official said Wednesday in Jakarta.

"China, as one of the main users of the Straits, has always attached great importance to the safe passage of the Straits and has shown great concerns over the save navigation and prevention of pollution caused by ships of the Straits," said Ju Chengzhi, the director general of China's Ministry of Transportation.

Ju was in Jakarta to lead the Chinese delegation in the two-day meeting on the Straits of Malacca and Singapore, attended also by delegates from 29 countries.

The Chinese government, he said, supports the efforts and the dominant role of the littoral states -- Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore -- in safeguarding the sovereignty and security of the Malacca Straits pursuant to the UN Charter and other accepted international law.

"However, we have also been aware that the littoral states are facing increasing challenges from the continuing growth of maritime traffic to maintain the safe navigation of the straits and their resources being strained," he said.

"The Chinese government will consider to mobilize resources within our means to assist the littoral states at their request in the areas of capacity building, technical exchanges and personal training," he said.

Ju added that the Chinese government is also willing to provide the littoral states with substantive assistance such as hydrographic survey and aids to navigation.

Source: Xinhua