Core Viewpoint - Jiangsu province is focusing on enhancing its coastal economic development to leverage its marine resources and improve its position in the national marine economy, which is expected to exceed 10 trillion yuan in 2024, accounting for 7.8% of the national GDP [2][4][6] Group 1: Current Status and Challenges - Jiangsu has a coastal area of 37,500 square kilometers and a coastline of 954 kilometers, but has struggled with underdeveloped marine economic contributions, ranking sixth nationally [3][4] - The coastal cities of Nantong, Yancheng, and Lianyungang account for nearly one-third of Jiangsu's land area and about one-quarter of its population, yet their combined GDP only represents 18.1% of the province's economy, falling short of the 20% target set for 2025 [4][6] - In 2024, Jiangsu's marine GDP reached 1,004.62 billion yuan, significantly lower than Guangdong's over 2 trillion yuan and Shandong's 1.8 trillion yuan, indicating a lag in marine economic development [6][9] Group 2: Transformation and Development Strategies - The provincial government aims to use technological innovation as a key driver for marine industry transformation, focusing on areas with potential and comparative advantages [10][14] - Jiangsu's traditional marine industries, such as shipbuilding and marine engineering, remain strong, with the province accounting for 47.4% of the national shipbuilding completion volume in 2024 [10][11] - New industries, particularly in offshore wind power, are also growing, with Yancheng alone contributing to over 40% of the national offshore wind power equipment capacity [11][13] Group 3: Competitive Landscape and Collaboration - The coastal cities of Jiangsu have distinct advantages: Nantong as a major city with port resources, Lianyungang as a transportation hub, and Yancheng as a leader in offshore wind power [17][19] - A recent coastal and marine spatial planning initiative aims to enhance the development framework for these cities, promoting collaboration rather than competition among them [18][21] - The need for cross-regional collaboration is emphasized to optimize resource allocation and enhance Jiangsu's overall influence in the national marine industry [21]

Core Insights - The marine economy in China showed resilience in the first half of the year, with a gross marine product of 5.1 trillion yuan, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 5.8% despite external pressures [1] Group 1: Traditional Marine Industries - The marine shipbuilding industry maintained a leading position in the international market, with new orders, completed orders, and hand-held orders accounting for 64.0%, 47.2%, and 57.6% of the global market, respectively [1] - The marine tourism sector experienced an 8.0% increase in added value, with cruise ports receiving 40.1% more passengers compared to the previous year [1] - The marine transportation sector demonstrated resilience, with marine cargo volume and cargo turnover increasing by 5.2% and 6.9%, respectively [1] Group 2: Emerging Marine Industries - The offshore engineering equipment construction market in China continued to lead globally, with new order value, delivered order value, and hand-held order value representing 64.6%, 43.3%, and 62.6% of the international market, respectively [2] - The supply capacity of marine resources steadily improved, with a 25.2% year-on-year increase in newly approved marine and island areas, involving investments exceeding 500 billion yuan [2] - Marine oil and natural gas production increased by 2.3% and 16.9%, respectively, while offshore wind power saw a remarkable growth in new grid-connected capacity and generation, increasing by 199.4% and 2.2% [2] Group 3: Business Outlook and Trade - A significant proportion of marine enterprises reported positive expectations for production and operations, with 87.6% of companies optimistic or neutral about the economic environment in the second half of the year [3] - Marine foreign trade remained stable, with a 1.1% year-on-year increase in maritime import and export volume, showing resilience amid challenging international conditions [3] - High-end, intelligent, and green marine products continued to show competitive advantages, contributing to export growth, with ship and wind turbine exports increasing by 20.0% and 13.7%, respectively [3]