Coastal city looks to sea for sustainable growth

Relying on its rich ocean-related resources, Qingdao will take the lead in developing a marine economy in the next few years, said local officials.

"With advantages in R&D, innovation and environmental protection, Qingdao will be a leading city nationwide for the marine economy in China by 2017," said Li Qun, Party chief of Qingdao.

The coastal city is on track to become the top marine economy in the nation. Photos provided to China Daily

Focusing on marine equipment, manufactured goods and pharmaceuticals, cargo throughput at Qingdao Port ranks fourth in China.

The city's revenues from marine sectors reached 131.69 billion yuan ($21.57 billion) last year, up 18.2 percent from 2012.

Its marine biomedicine and marine engineering equipment production account for 14.7 percent and 9.5 percent of the nation's total. Shipbuilding and efficient use of seawater resources are the key to its marine development.

Li said in the wake of national strategy to build marine power, Qingdao is facing unprecedented opportunities to upgrade its industries and reinvent itself as a global city featuring a vibrant marine economy.

Qingdao has 711 kilometers of coastline, some 50 bays and nearly 70 islands, as well as a total sea area of 122,000 square kilometers.

The city is home to 30 percent of China's oceanographic research institutions, half of the nation's top marine scientists and recipient of half the nation's marine innovation awards.

Local authorities have formulated a series of subsidy plans for deep-sea fishing that attracted 19 companies to register in Qingdao.

Focusing on marine equipment, manufactured goods and pharmaceuticals, cargo throughput at Qingdao Port ranks fourth in China.

In addition to booming development of industrial facilities, the city also accelerated construction of infrastructure for leisure, resorts and exhibitions.

Promising growth

Major driving forces include Blue Silicon Valley, the Huangdao district and the Hongdao Economic Zone.

Covering a vast swathe stretching from Laoshan in southeast Qingdao to Jimo in the north, Blue Silicon Valley has more than 70 projects in the pipeline or under construction.

Deals on more than 10 new technology projects were signed for the area last year, including the Oceanic Industry Technology Research Academy of Tianjin University and the National Oceanic Technology Center Qingdao.

The new Huangdao district in west Qingdao has invested 20 billion yuan in infrastructure. In 2013, its GDP hit 226.6 billion yuan, an increase of 11.4 percent from 2012.

Hongdao Economic Zone on the north coast of Jiaozhou Bay is building a cluster of software parks and industrial zones for high-tech enterprises and R&D centers.

Qingdao also has a series of talent recruitment and cultivation plans including a cloud-computing center that offers a database for high-profile maritime professionals.

The Marine Chemical Research Institute and the Institute of Oceanology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences built a joint innovation center for research on coatings, materials and ecological marine farming.

To ensure sustainable development, Qingdao has made a range of efforts to protect the aquatic environment and restore the marine ecosystem.

"We must endeavor to fulfill our dream about the ocean and develop in an eco-friendly way," said Party chief Li.

In 2013, the local government incorporated river quality improvement into its performance review, conducting regular examinations at 25 testing points across the city's 22 rivers.

Some 96.3 percent of Qingdao's major pollution sources are now under constant online monitoring.

The city has also designated several areas of sea for species conservation and has special protection areas at Qingdao West Coast National Ocean Park, Daguan Island and Chaolian Island Ocean Reserves.

The government also began an array of actions to restore the ecosystem along Jiaozhou Bay including the coastline and seaside fisheries as well as reclaiming ocean from illegal development.

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(China Daily 05/17/2014 page16)