Beijing (CNS)-- The State Council, China's cabinet, has formally approved a plan to establish the Zhoushan Archipelago New Area in Zhejiang Province, according to the State Council Information Office Thursday.
The fourth national New Area after the Pudong New Area in Shanghai, the Binghai New Area in Tianjin and the Liangjiang New Area in Chongqing, it will be the first to focus on the marine economy at the national strategic level, according to Zhejiang Governor Lv Zushan.
The Zhoushan Archipelago New Area is positioned to become the leading area in Zhejiang's marine economic development, as well an experimental area for comprehensive ocean resource development and a significant contributor to the economic development of the Yangtze River Delta, authorities said.
The Zhoushan Archipelago New Area is also planned to be a storage, transit, processing and trade center of staple commodities for China; a vital marine corridor in eastern China; a model area for the scientific protection and exploration of marine islands; an important modern marine industrial base and a leading area of balanced land and marine development.
Zhoushan is the country's only prefecture-level administrative city based on islands. With a population of 1 million, the Zhoushan Archipelago is comprised of 1,390 islands, a land area of 1,440 square kilometers, and an inland sea area of 20,800 square kilometers. It serves as one of the country's primary trading exits along the east coastline and across the Yangtze River basin.
