Islands set to be new gateway to East China

BEIJING - A new zone in which the marine economy will be promoted has been announced for the nation's largest archipelago, signaling another phase in China's development.

The establishment of the Zhoushan Archipelago New Area is a major initiative of the central government in advancing the overall strategy of marine development and a key step in fulfilling the objectives of the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-2015), said Fan Hengshan, a senior official with the National Development and Reform Commission.

The State Council approved the establishment of the new area on June 30. It "will propel the country's regional development from land to sea, and marks the fact that the pilot projects of the national marine economy have entered the implementation phase", Fan said.