Zhanjiang looks to future after advancements of 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) lift economy

The Jinsha Bay in Zhanjiang, Guangdong province. CHINA DAILY

Zhanjiang, a port city in South China's Guangdong province, is undergoing rapid transformation and growth. This was highlighted by local officials on Monday during the annual gatherings of the Guangdong Provincial People's Congress and the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

Yu Gang, secretary of the CPC Zhanjiang committee, described the development during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25) as a milestone for the city. With a commitment to sustainable industrial growth, regional collaboration and urban development, Zhanjiang has emerged as a key player in advancing China's modernization.

According to Yu, over the past five years, Zhanjiang has developed an industrial framework known as the "Four Greens and One Blue", focusing on green advancements in steel, petrochemicals, energy and food production, alongside the development of its marine economy. Through this approach, the city has created a dynamic, eco-friendly economic structure.

The green petrochemical and modern agricultural and food industries, each surpassing annual production values of 100 billion yuan ($14.4 billion), served as core economic engines in the past five years. Zhanjiang led Guangdong in the number of gravity-based net cages and large-scale aquaculture platforms for marine ranching. It ranked third in the province for marine economic competitiveness.

Meanwhile, Zhanjiang ranked fourth for its business environment in Guangdong. Infrastructure projects such as the Zhanjiang Wuchuan International Airport, the waterway for 400,000-deadweight-ton vessels at Zhanjiang Port, and the Guangzhou-Zhanjiang high-speed rail services have enhanced regional connectivity, ushering in new economic opportunities.

The High-Quality Development Project for Guangdong Counties, Towns and Villages has fostered coordinated growth across urban and rural areas, with eight counties or county-level regions passing inspections over the past five years.

Advancements such as e-commerce growth in Suixi county, distinctive industrial clusters in the county-level cities of Lianjiang and Wuchuan, and marine biopharmaceuticals in Xiashan district have invigorated local economies. Zhanjiang's unique agricultural products have gained nationwide popularity, with prepackaged meals now generating more than 10 billion yuan in annual production. The city ranked first in Guangdong for both the number of national-level modern agricultural industry parks and farmer cooperatives as of 2025.

At the heart of Zhanjiang's transformation is its commitment to improving the well-being of its residents. During the past five years, the city created more than 300,000 urban jobs and advanced critical water resource projects including the Guangdong Water Resources Allocation Project around the Beibu Gulf.

Environmental achievements, including the designation of the Jinsha Bay and the Bomaogang Bay as National Beautiful Bays, highlight Zhanjiang's dedication to sustainability. Additionally, its innovative mangrove carbon sequestration serves as a model for ecological restoration nationwide. These efforts collectively depict a city fostering economic growth while ensuring local residents' quality of life.

Beyond industry, Zhanjiang has leveraged its strategic geographic advantage, connecting eastern and western China while linking northern and southern regions, and fostering international collaboration. Aligning its development with Hainan province and integrating into the construction of the New Western Land-Sea Corridor, Zhanjiang has embraced national policies to deepen reforms and spark innovation.

As the southernmost coastal city on the Chinese mainland, Zhanjiang has been tasked with fostering deeper collaboration with Hainan, China's southernmost island province and the country's largest special economic zone, via the Qiongzhou Strait.

Zhanjiang Mayor Li Yongyi outlined five areas of focus for deepening partnerships across the strait, emphasizing collaboration mechanisms, infrastructure development, industrial coordination, economic collaboration and shared public services.

To achieve this, Zhanjiang is enhancing cooperation frameworks and securing national policy support. Its efforts include fostering leadership exchanges and building a coordinated cross-regional work mechanism. This collaboration extends to creating an integrated "sea-land-air-rail" transport network, with projects such as the development of a "half-hour transportation circle" across the Qiongzhou Strait.

Zhanjiang aims to become a key driver of Guangdong's coastal economy, aspiring to join the province's economic top tier by 2030 under the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30). Its future work will focus on six pillars: industry, ecology, safety, tourism, civility and residents' well-being. The local government has outlined a comprehensive plan to enhance modern industrialization, public services and sustainability, while fostering a culture of unity and efficiency among government officials.

A vessel leaves the passenger/cargo ro-ro terminal at Xuwen Port, Zhanjiang, for Hainan province. PENG DECAI/FOR CHINA DAILY