The Qingdao development and reform commission circulated a notice on the development of the marine industry on March 27. The municipal government plans to build six marine zones, promote four local industries, and initiate 140 projects this year, Ocean.china.com.cn reported.

Ren Zhengang, deputy director of the Qingdao development and reform commission, said that the municipal government will focus on constructing six affiliated blue economy special zones in established economic zones to attract pioneering enterprises and techniques as well as capital this year.

The six marine zones are the Haixiwan Shipping and Oceaneering Zone, Laoshan Marine Biology Zone, Huangdao Marine Organism Zone, Jiaobei Modern Marine Equipment Manufacturing Zone, Qianwan International Logistics Zone, and Shinan Coastal Tourism Zone.

The city will further develop four marine economic sectors: the marine equipment manufacturing industry, the marine biology industry, the marine new materials industry, and the modern fishing industry.

This year, the city will develop 140 projects budgeted at 1.6 trillion yuan ($25 billion). It also hopes to have at least 90 percent of the projects operational this year, working to achieve actual utilization of investment of 300 billion yuan.

Edited by Michael Thai, Li Xiaoliang and Gao Yuan