BEIJING, Dec. 16 -- China will advance the high-quality development of its marine economy by strengthening the integrated planning of its major bays, said Shen Jun, an official of the Ministry of Natural Resources, on Tuesday.

The country's coastline stretches over 18,000 km and is dotted with hundreds of bays, including Bohai Bay, Hangzhou Bay and the Beibu Gulf.

"These areas serve as vital hubs for coastal economic activity, repositories of rich maritime culture, and spaces of critical ecological value," Shen told Xinhua in an exclusive interview.

Shen noted that by promoting coordinated land-sea development and integrated planning through top-level design, China aims to establish a new model for high-quality growth in the marine economy.

The marine sector has become a significant pillar of the national economy. In the first three quarters of 2025, China's gross ocean product totaled 7.9 trillion yuan (about 1.12 trillion U.S. dollars), up 5.6 percent year on year.

Shen said China will accelerate breakthroughs in core marine technologies, cultivate strategic emerging industries such as seawater desalination and marine biomedicine, and enhance marine disaster prevention and ecological conservation efforts.