From December 9th to 13th, 2024, the 29th General Assembly of the International Mobile Satellite Organization (IMSO) was held in London of United Kingdom, where China was successfully re-elected as a member of the IMSO Advisory Committee for the ninth consecutive time since its first election in 2008. On the opening day of the Assembly, Counselor Zhang Hongbin from the Chinese Embassy in the United Kingdom was elected as the President of the Assembly and presided over the meeting, which was the first time that China has held this position.

The 29th Assembly of the International Mobile Satellite Organization (IMSO) was held in London, United Kingdom, from December 9th to 13th, 2024. Photoed by Liu Liqun, Maritime Safety Administration of the Ministry of Transport

A delegation comprising representatives from the department of international cooperation of the Ministry of Transport, the maritime safety administration of the Ministry of Transport, Shanghai maritime safety administration, Hebei maritime safety administration, Shenzhen maritime safety administration, China transportation and telecommunication information center, and the Chinese Embassy in the United Kingdom attended the Assembly. During this Assembly, our delegation successfully advocated for the inclusion of Chinese as an official language of the IMSO Assembly, provided an update on the implementation of the Beidou Messaging Service System, and facilitated the smooth review and approval of important issues such as the revision of the "International Agreement on the Use of International Maritime Satellite Ship Earth Stations in Territorial Seas and Ports".

The International Mobile Satellite Organization (IMSO) is established in 1979, which currently has 110 member states. China is one of the founding members. IMSO contributes to establish rules for maritime communication, oversee the operation of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) and the Long-Range Identification and Tracking of Ships (LRIT) system and is responsible for the technical access assessment and daily operation management of GMDSS satellite communication service providers. It constitutes an important part of the international regulatory framework for maritime communication safety. The Advisory Committee serves as the primary policy research and decision-making of IMSO, which each term lasts two years.