On October 24, during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Marine Cooperation and Development Forum, the China Marine Development Research Association and the National Marine Information Center unveiled the “2024 China Marine Development Index Report.” This report reveals that from 2016 to 2023, China’s marine development index has grown at an average annual rate of 2.9%. In 2023, the index reached 125.3, marking a 3.0% increase over the previous year.
The marine economy is showing signs of recovery, leading to continuous improvements in people’s livelihoods. The economic and livelihood index for 2023 stands at 130.7, up by 3.8% compared to the year before, with marine Gross Production Value increasing by 6.0%. The marine economy is accelerating its recovery, with marine manufacturing and emerging industries experiencing rapid growth. Additionally, the per capita consumption of marine products has reached 26.2 kilograms, which is an increase of 1.3 kilograms from the previous year, indicating significant achievements in improving living standards.
The capacity for technological innovation is also on the rise. In 2023, the technological innovation index hit 128.2, a 3.2% increase from the previous year. The construction of marine technology innovation platforms is advancing steadily, and the investment in technological innovation by research institutions remains stable. Significant growth has been observed in the number of published papers, patents granted, and revenues from the conversion of technological achievements, highlighting the increasing capacity for marine technological innovation output.
The overall ecological environment remains stable. The environmental index for 2023 is 119.3, up by 2.0% from the previous year. The quality of water in coastal areas has improved, with the proportion of good water quality increasing by 3.1 percentage points from last year. The marine environment is gradually improving, supported by the central government’s new initiative to implement 16 marine ecological protection and restoration projects.
There has been continuous improvement in the level of resource conservation and intensive utilization. The resource utilization index for 2023 is 125.8, reflecting a 2.6% increase from the previous year. The newly approved marine area has increased by 7.4% compared to the previous year, effectively supporting the demand for oil and gas, nuclear power, and other major infrastructure projects. The electricity generation from offshore wind power has grown by 17.6%, and the daily capacity for seawater desalination has risen by 7.0%, demonstrating enhanced capabilities in utilizing marine resources.
Despite facing challenges, marine foreign trade exhibits resilience. The openness index for 2023 is 125.0, marking a 2.1% increase from the previous year. Although the total import and export volume by sea decreased by 1.4%, trade with coastal countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative saw a 1.1% increase. Moreover, the foreign trade cargo throughput at coastal ports rose by 9.7%, and the volume of international shipping goods continued to steadily increase.
Administrative efficiency in the marine sector has seen noticeable improvements. The comprehensive management index for 2023 stands at 117.7, a 3.2% increase from the previous year. The number of current marine-related standards established has grown by 14.2%, and 290 marine disaster warnings were issued. This led to a significant reduction in direct economic losses and fatalities from marine disasters — down 45% and 70%, respectively, compared to the average over the past five years. The capacity for marine management services has been consistently enhanced, with 42 currently effective marine agreements signed with foreign parties and a doubling in the number of international marine-related conferences and training sessions held compared to the previous year, reflecting a broad engagement in international exchanges and cooperation.
