Weihai thrives through ocean abundance

Near the tip of the Shandong Peninsula, Weihai is China's closest port city to South Korea. photos Provided to China Daily

The Hobie World Championship was held off the coast of Weihai last year. Ju Chuanjiang / China Daily

Local officials in Weihai, a city with 2.5 million people on the east of the Shandong Peninsula, have set an ambitious goal to become the spearhead in Shandong's expanding marine economy.

With more than 1,000 kilometers of coastline, plans envision that Weihai will be the future home to high-end marine industries and a pilot zone in a trilateral cooperation initiative between China, Japan and South Korea. Its three national open ports now connect to 27 shipping routes.

Weihai's natural endowments include 168 islands and 220 sq km of shallow sea that accommodate the largest production of premium aqua farming in the province, with annual exports exceeding 200 million tons.

The city's aquatic farms produce more than 30 leading brands of seafood and support over 2,000 local enterprises.

Also home to national and provincial economic development zones and an export processing zone, Weihai's exports now reach a value of $14 billion annually.

It is also a pioneering city in efforts for a greener economy, and has been named a "National Health City", the first "National Environmental Protection Model City" and a "National Excellent Tourism City". It has also earned a spot on the UN Habit Scroll of Honor.

For the 12th Five-Year Plan period (2011-2015), the city is set on further building its blue economy by enhancing current core competencies in aqua farming and shipbuilding and as well as cultivating emerging industries including bio-marine products, new oceanic energies and new materials.

Its ocean sports and resort facilities will also be improved through favorable policies, better services and improved infrastructure, according to the city's plan.

(China Daily 06/01/2011 page63)