The Yantai government issued a construction plan in May 2018 to strengthen its marine industries and develop itself into a city with a strong marine economy, marine science and technology, marine ecological civilization, ocean culture, and integrated ocean management. 

It is expected that Yantai's gross ocean production will exceed 330 billion yuan ($47.83 billion) by 2022 and account for more than 31 percent of the city's GDP. The gross ocean production will surpass 600 billion yuan by 2028, making up more than 35 percent of the city's GDP. 

The plan put forward detailed measures, key projects in different fields and supporting measures to help achieve its goals.

To develop a strong marine economy city

Yantai will promote the transformation and upgrading of its traditional marine industries and develop its strategic emerging marine industries to foster new growth drivers for the city's marine economy and to develop itself into a strong marine economy city.

Construction in the city of a marine high-end equipment manufacturing base, a marine biological medicine industry base, a modern fishery demonstration area, and a marine logistics center should be encouraged. Yantai should also build itself into a coastal resort and a national seawater comprehensive utilization demonstration city. 

To develop a strong marine science and technology city 

Measures were proposed in the construction plan to develop Yantai into a strong marine science and technology city, including optimizing the marine science and technology innovation platform and system, cultivating more talents, improving the innovative content of key techniques and products, and accelerating the transformation of marine scientific and technological achievements. 

By 2022, there should be 20 new sea-related laboratories, engineering research centers and technological innovation centers at or above provincial level in the city. 

To develop a strong marine ecological civilization city 

The plan also proposed that during the process of building Yantai into a strong marine city, officials and business leaders must obey basic ecological rules and attach as much importance to environmental protection as to economic development.

Yantai will carry out restoration projects and perfect the protection network for its ocean ecology. It will also strengthen the comprehensive improvement of its offshore sea, improve its ability to prevent and control ocean ecological disasters, and accelerate the construction of a demonstration zone for marine ecological civilization.

The plan required that the comprehensively restored sea area in Yantai should reach 38.2 square kilometers by 2022. The length of coastal erosion protection embankments, and bank and slope protection areas should exceed 94.4 kilometers while that of the improved coastlines should be more than 27.6 km. Source pollutant discharges at estuaries should all meet the city's standards. 

To develop a strong ocean culture city 

Yantai will inherit and develop its excellent traditional ocean culture, such as the Culture of the Eight Immortals, the Mazu (a goddess of the sea in Chinese culture) Culture, and the culture of holding worship ceremonies and offering sacrifices to the sea. 

Meanwhile, it will develop the four ocean cultural industries of public culture services, health preservation, entertainment, and film and television publishing to build an ocean culture industrial system with local characteristics.

To develop a strong integrated ocean management city 

To develop Yantai into a strong integrated ocean management city, there must be innovation in the management system and mechanisms, improvement in  the marine monitoring network, establishment of a big data platform for integrated ocean management, and greater capacity in public services. 

Key projects

There were 91 key projects listed in the plan centered on developing Yantai into a strong marine city. Fifty projects relate to marine economic development, 13 to the development of marine science and technology, 19 to marine ecological civilization, six to ocean culture, and three are designed to promote integrated ocean management.

Supporting measures

Six supporting measures were put forward to ensure the successful implementation of the construction plan. 

First, Yantai is to strengthen its leadership by setting up a leading group for the implementation of the plan, establishing a communication system between all departments, districts and counties, and forming an expert consultation committee.

Second, Yantai is to offer policy support in finance and taxation, investment and financing, and land usage.

Third, the Yantai government will continue to improve the city's infrastructure, such as transport, power supply, water conservancy and communication facilities. 

Fourth, the government will promote industrial development and build a maritime emergency rescue platform by cooperating with the local military.

Fifth, Yantai will continue to steadily push forward its cooperation with foreign countries and regions, and maintain its openness. 

Sixth, the government will enhance supervision and inspection of the implementation of the construction plan.