The Chinese government marked its second Maritime Day in Shanghai on Tuesday, an event aimed at enhancing public awareness of the nation's over three million square kilometers of "blue territory".

In a letter delivered at the ceremony, Vice Premier Huang Ju urged further development of China's ocean shipping, maritime exploitation and shipbuilding industries.

Maritime Day is important because it encourages Chinese to care more about the ocean and its "blue territory", Huang said.

In 2005, the government designated July 11 Maritime Day. Events this year come under the theme "Love the blue territory, develop ocean shipping" and will run until September.

Ocean shipping was the most effective and environmentally-friendly mode of international transport, and its development was an important national strategy, Communications Minister Li Shenglin said at the ceremony.

(Xinhua News Agency July 12, 2006)