The Quanzhou Development and Reform Commission has laid out several major projects for 2020, focusing on major marine industries such as marine biomedicine, marine engineering equipment, modern fisheries and marine tourism.

Based on existing marine economic industrial parks in the city, the projects are expected to bring the local marine economy to a new level. 

Quanzhou has a sea area of 11,360 square kilometers, a 541-km-long coastline, 14 large and small harbors and 207 islands. Most of the harbors are deep-water harbors which provide 123 deep-water berths of more than 10,000 tons. 

It also boasts large fishery resources. The area of marine fishing grounds is more than 5,000 sq km, 118 sq km of which can be exploited. There are more than 500 main kinds of aquatic organisms, nearly 100 varieties of commercial fish, and more than 200 kinds of shellfish and algae.

According to the Quanzhou Development and Reform Commission, 28 projects launched in 2020  were recognized as key projects under construction in Fujian Province, with a total investment of 68.292 billion yuan ($999.22 million). 

These projects cover fields such as emerging marine industries, water product deep processing and cold chain logistics, marine tourism, shipping logistics and marine ecology. 

They have attracted annual investment of 15.64 billion yuan, accounting for 112.5 percent of the annual investment plan. 

According to local officials, the commission has received provincial-level funding of 15.17 million yuan for marine biopharmaceutical projects. 

Marine productive projects and comprehensive marine utilization projects in Quanzhou will receive subsidies of 20 million yuan from the municipal marine economic development fund.

The coastal city of Quanzhou has a unique advantage in developing its marine economy. [Photo/people.com.cn]