CRI听力:China Eyes Maritime Economy Development

The 2012 China marine economy expo held in South China's economic powerhouse and port city Guangzhou demonstrates a model for China's deep-water drilling platform "Offshore Oil 981" and one-to-one scale model of China's deep-sea submersible–Jiaolong.

28-year-old Tang Jialing, the youngest pilot of Jiaolong, was invited to the expo to share his experiences.

He says Jiaolong can be vital equipment in exploring the ocean.

"Jiaolong takes on the task of resource exploration and research on ocean sciences, including marine life, marine geology and geophysics. Jiaolong is China's important equipment to learn about and explore the ocean."

The theme for this year's China Marine Economy Expo is, "develop ocean resources scientifically and promote economic transition and updates."

Liu Cigui, head of the State Oceanic Administration, says that the key to developing the marine economy lies in science and technology.

"Certainly, we need to develop traditional industries. But meanwhile, the development of emerging industries is reflected in science and technology. Therefore, using science and technology to develop the ocean economy will be the hot spot of the future."

The 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China promoted the idea of developing the marine economy and building China into a marine power.

As an essential maritime region of China, the gross marine production in Guangdong is expected to reach around 1.1 trillion yuan or some 170 billion US dollars this year.

As the country's sixth State-level New Area, the Nansha New Area in Guangzhou has been making efforts to take advantage of its ocean resources.

Scientific research and innovation are among their priorities.

Liang Yunchen, an official of Nansha Ocean and Fishery Departments, says they are speeding up the modernization of aquaculture in Nansha New Area.

"We are cooperating with research institutes, such as the South Sea Fisheries Research Institute, the Pearl River Fisheries Institute and Sun Yat-sen University, to promote new aquaculture technology and discoveries. We made some achievements in recent years. We estimate that our marine industry will produce a value of around 60 billion yuan by 2015."

Over the past decade, marine science and technology has advanced by leaps and bounds in China. New exploitable ocean resources keep being found. The ocean has become a source of vast wealth in the second largest economy of the world.

For CRI, I'm Siqi.