Guangdong province's coastal city of Zhanjiang is set to become one of China's first demonstration cities for innovative marine economy development, it was announced during the China Marine Economy Development Summit from Nov 24 to 25.

The China Marine Economy Development Summit is held in Zhanjiang from Nov 24 to 25 during the China Marine Economy Expo 2016. [Photo/zjphoto.yinsha.com]

The city joins Nantong in Jiangsu province and Xiamen in Fujian, as well as five others earmarked for marine economy development during the 13th Five Year Plan (2016-20). The move was approved by China's Finance Ministry and State Oceanic Administration this October.

The decision comes as an acknowledgment of Zhanjiang's efforts to develop its marine industry in areas of equipment manufacture, trans-regional cooperation, seafood processing, and the construction of innovation bases such as the South Sea Valley.

Zhanjiang holds a launch ceremony to mark the beginning of its building of a demonstration city for innovative marine economy development on Nov 24. [Photo/zjphoto.yinsha.com]

Some 900 government officials, scholars and industry experts attended the ceremony, which was part of the China Marine Economy Expo (CMEE), held in the city from Nov 24 to 27.

The summit was co-sponsored by the preparatory committee of the CMEE and the Pacific Society of China, an academic community engaging in oceanic study and research. Several forums were held discussing marine finance, global and domestic macro-economic situations, and supply-side reform on marine economy.

Professor Chen Yu, Dean of the World New Economics Research Institute shares his views at the summit. [Photo/zjphoto.yinsha.com]