GUANGZHOU: Guangdong Province has mapped out its general target for the development of marine economy during the 11th Five-Year Program (2006-10).

The plan for the marine economy was passed at a meeting attended by the members of the standing committee of the Guangdong provincial people's government last week.

According to the general target, Guangdong will build a strong marine economy, optimize industrial structure and forge four coastal industrial bases of petrochemical, ship-building, iron and steel and energy by the end of 2010.

At the same time, it will coordinate the regional economic development to form three marine economic zones with different characteristics in the Pearl River Delta, East Guangdong and West Guangdong.

It will also foster five key cities for marine economy. The five cities are Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Huizhou, Zhanjiang and Shantou.

The target will help the province realize a sound cycle of marine ecosystem and the sustainable effective utilization of marine resources, further strengthen the marine economic strength of the province and optimize marine industrial structure, said Huang Huahua, governor of the province.

The province will also enhance the innovative ability in independent marine science and technology, the gradual formation of key cities that give priority to or rely on the development of marine economy. Besides, it will further strengthen the protection of marine resources and eco-environment.

To this end, the province will adjust and optimize the marine industrial structure, enhance the development of the leading industries including marine fishing industry and greatly develop new industries of seawater comprehensive utilization.

The province will lay stress on the protection of ocean pollution and the construction of ocean ecology, protect the marine biology resources and coastal resources and strengthen the construction of marine environment monitoring system.

Guangdong will push forward the coordinated regional development in keeping with the feature of natural properties of the coastal area and the comparative advantage of regional resources. It will also improve marine comprehensive management mechanism and enhance financial input into marine economy.

According to Huang, the province will also consolidate its management over the development and protection of island and strengthen the planning and implementation of major projects to guarantee the development of marine economy.

During the 10th Five-Year Plan (2001-05), marine economy gained sustainable and rapid growth in the province. The enhancement in marine comprehensive management has laid a solid foundation for the future development of the marine industry.