Ocean economy becomes new growth sector (People's Daily Online) Updated: 2005-05-30 16:44
"The ocean economy has become China's new economic growth sector," said Sun
Zhihui, deputy director-general of the State Oceanic Administration (SOA).
Statistics provided by the SOA show that preliminary accounting indicates a
production value of 1284.1 billion yuan of the main ocean industries in 2004.
The amount is ranked above the medium level among ocean countries. Besides,
China's regional ocean economy continued to grow rapidly in 2004. Main ocean
industries in the Yangtze Delta Economic Zone and the Bohai Economic Zone
realized production value of more than 400 billion yuan.
The international pivotal position of China's ocean industry is also shaping
the development of the ocean economy. China's salt production has always led the
world. The ocean fishing industry also has the largest turnout in the world.
China produces the third largest tonnage of ships in the world and traditional
ocean industries are developing steadily. At the same time new ocean industries
such as ocean oil and gas, coastal tourism and oceanic medicine are fast
arising. In 2004 coastal tourism revenue reached 336.9 billion yuan, increasing
by 34.2 percent over 2003, which provides a potent proof.
According to the SOA statistics from 2002 to 2004 total production value of
the main oceanic industries has grown from 905 billion yuan to 1.28 trillion
yuan. Added value has increased from the 404.2 billion yuan in 2002 to 528.6
billion yuan in 2004. The average growth was 16.9 percent, which is not only
higher than the growth rate of the ocean economy during the Ninth Five-Year plan
but also higher than the growth rate of the national economy during the same
period.
"As a matter of fact current statistics methodology and scope do not fully
reflect the contribution made by China's ocean economy to the national economy.
With the establishment of ocean economy accounting system with oceanic
characteristics there will be new statistics to truthfully reflect the
contribution of the ocean economy. According to experts in the next ten years or
so the ocean economy will continue to keep a rapid growth trend.", said Sun
Zhihui.
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