Thecover.cn: 

The report to the 20th CPC National Congress stressed that China will develop the marine economy, protect the marine ecological environment, and step up efforts to build China into a strong maritime country. What deployments have been made in building China into a strong maritime country? How is the related work progressing? And what are the next steps? Thank you.

Wang Hong: 

Thank you for your questions. General Secretary Xi Jinping attaches great importance to marine work, emphasizing that the ocean is a strategic location for high-quality development. The MNR should thoroughly learn and implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress on strategic plans for accelerating China's development into a strong maritime country. We are actively planning how to open new ground and accelerate the implementation of new deployments. The progress of relevant work mainly includes the following four aspects:

First, we have promoted the marine economy's high-quality development. In 2022, China's total marine economy GDP reached 9.4628 trillion yuan, accounting for 7.8% of national GDP. In particular, emerging marine industries maintained rapid growth momentum. New orders and hand-held orders in the marine engineering equipment manufacturing industry increased by 175.9% and 34.6% in value, respectively, compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, offshore wind power generation increased by 116.2% year on year. China's first megawatt-scale tidal energy unit achieved grid-connected power generation, and the scale of seawater desalination projects further expanded.

Second, we have strengthened the protection and utilization of marine resources. Since the 20th CPC National Congress, the MNR has strictly controlled land reclamation from the sea. It has strengthened the protection of uninhabited islands and maintained the bottom line of natural coastline retention rate. We have continuously optimized the pattern of marine space protection and development. From January to May 2023, 10 suspected illegal land reclamation cases involving approximately 2.19 hectares were exposed and stopped nationwide, and four suspected illegal uses of islands covering about 0.81 hectares were identified. While strictly adhering to the bottom line of marine ecological security, we strive to ensure the use of sea areas and islands for major national projects and people's livelihood projects. This year, the MNR has submitted 17 project sea use applications to the State Council, involving an investment of approximately 134 billion yuan.

Third, we have enhanced marine monitoring and early warning capabilities. The MNR has continuously promoted the construction of the National Global Ocean Observation Network. This network forms an integrated observation system that combines marine station networks, radar networks, buoy networks, seabed observation networks, volunteer ships, cross-sectional surveys, and satellite remote sensing. We have also implemented the "chip" project for marine forecasting and made significant progress in independent innovation. We have named our own marine model "Mazu," and the "Mazu" series of marine early warning models have achieved operational status. China possesses complete independent intellectual property rights over the models.

Fourth, we have deeply participated in global marine governance. Our ministry has been actively developing blue partnerships, promoting the implementation of the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and actively participating in negotiations on marine rules within the UN framework such as an international agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction and the regulations on the development of mineral resources in the international seabed area. We are also playing a leading role in China's participation in the "United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development" initiative ("Ocean Decade") and have proposed the "Digital Deep-sea Typical Habitats Program," which has been approved by the United Nations as a big science program under the "Ocean Decade," to promote the conservation and sustainable use of deep-sea biodiversity. All these moves are part of our vigorous efforts to promote the building of a marine community with a shared future. In April of this year, the 39th Chinese Antarctic expedition successfully completed all planned tasks and returned to China on board the icebreakers "Xuelong 2" and "Xuelong." Tomorrow, on July 12, the 13th Chinese Arctic expedition will depart from Shanghai on board the icebreaker "Xuelong 2" to conduct field research tasks.

In the next step, the MNR will, in accordance with the arrangements of the 20th CPC National Congress, fully and accurately implement the new development concept. We will adhere to the coordinated development of land and sea, vigorously enhance the economical and intensive use of marine resources, focus on building a modern marine industry system, promote the high-quality development of the marine economy, and make new contributions to building China into a strong maritime country.

Thank you!