Energy and mineral resources have become the focus of marine development.


Release Date:

2017-05-08

Recently, the State Council publicly released its approvals for the Marine Functional Zoning Plans (2011–2020) of eight provinces and municipalities—Tianjin, Hebei, Liaoning, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Shandong, and Guangxi. The approved plans across these jurisdictions reveal that energy and mineral resources have become the focal point of marine development, with offshore oil and gas extraction and the chemical industry closely linked to marine resources poised for substantial growth. The simultaneous approval of these plans underscores the national strategic layout for the development of marine resources.

The coastal continental shelf of Zhejiang Province harbors abundant oil and natural gas resources. Hebei Province, in particular, is rich in offshore oil and gas resources, serving as the primary exploration and production areas for the Bohai Oilfield, Jidong Oilfield, and Dagang Oilfield, with proven oil reserves of 1 billion tonnes and natural gas reserves of 13.4 billion cubic meters. Shandong Province’s offshore oil and gas reserves have been proven to total 2.38 billion tonnes, while its marine renewable energy resources—including offshore wind power, geothermal energy, tidal energy, and wave energy—offer tremendous development potential, supported by a strong industrial foundation in sectors such as salt chemical manufacturing.

According to the Statistical Bulletin of the State Oceanic Administration, China’s total marine economy reached RMB 45.57 trillion in 2018, representing a year-on-year increase of 10.4%.