China charts blueprint for high-quality marine growth, says minister

China has outlined a five-year blueprint for its marine economy, emphasizing green development, technological innovation, and global cooperation to boost high-quality growth, Minister of Natural Resources Guan Zhiou said Thursday.

"The marine is a strategic frontier for high-quality development. We need to better understand, protect and develop the ocean, embarking on a path toward maritime strength with Chinese characteristics," Guan said during a ministers' passage interview following the closing meeting of the fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress.

Based on objectives in the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), Guan said the ministry will implement a series of measures to accelerate high-quality development of the marine economy.

Innovation will be a central focus, with major national programs launched to strengthen deep-sea sensing, exploration and resource development capabilities. The technological push is expected to support industrial renewal and accelerate growth in emerging sectors such as deep-sea equipment and blue biomedicine, Guan said.

To advance spatial planning and ecological conservation, the country will coordinate land and sea development to optimize key bay layouts, improve management efficiency and foster new growth drivers. Efforts will also be made to protect major coastlines and maintain clear waters, turning yacht cruising and sea fishing into rising trends in tourism while ensuring harmony between human activity and the ocean, he added.

"We will place greater emphasis on international cooperation through extensive marine cultural exchanges, contributing to the development of a maritime community with a shared future," Guan said.

He also highlighted China's achievements in developing, utilizing and protecting marine resources in recent years.

"In 2025, the gross ocean product exceeded 11 trillion yuan ($1.6 trillion), accounting for 7.9 percent of China's GDP. The country has ranked among global leaders in industries such as shipbuilding and marine engineering equipment, offshore wind power and marine fisheries," Guan said. "Domestically developed marine drugs accounted for 28 percent of such products in the global market."

China has enforced strict controls on new land reclamation from the sea, maintaining a natural coastline ratio of over 35 percent. Mangrove forests have expanded to 31,667 hectares, continuing steady growth. The Huangyan Island National Nature Reserve has been established to enhance the protection and restoration of a key coral reef ecosystem, Guan said.

Stronger drivers are also being deployed for the blue economy. Guan cited the full operation of the Laoshan Laboratory, the commissioning of the domestically designed and built Mengxiang deep-ocean drilling vessel, and the operation of the world's first 100,000-ton offshore oil and gas platform, Shenhai 1. China's submersibles Jiaolong and Fendouzhe recently conducted a joint manned expedition to the Arctic, Guan added.

China has expanded its global marine cooperation and governance. It is among the first signatories and contracting parties to the Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement. The country has signed blue economy cooperation agreements with more than 50 countries and international organizations, and has carried out joint polar and deep-sea research missions with multiple nations.