ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Mar. Sci.
Sec. Marine Affairs and Policy
Volume 12 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fmars.2025.1553962
Analysis of China's Marine Economic Policy: Regional policy characteristics, evolution and assessment
Provisionally accepted
- Macao Polytechnic University, Macau, Macao, SAR China
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The transition towards a sustainable blue economy (SBE) is a crucial component of global marine economic governance. This study examines the evolution of China's marine economy policies and their role in facilitating this transition. Through a systematic review of 40 national policy texts from 2000 to 2023, this study uses content analysis and social network analysis to conduct a multi-dimensional empirical analysis. We analyze policy development trends, thematic priorities, and structural characteristics across China's three major marine economic zones--the Northern Marine Economic Zone (Liaoning, Hebei, Tianjin, Shandong), Eastern Marine Economic Zone (Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shanghai), and Southern Marine Economic Zone (Fujian, Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi). These zones were chosen due to their distinct economic profiles, resource endowments, and roles in national marine strategies.The research findings are as follows: 1. Policy evolution occurred in three phases: rapid economic growth (2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010), integration of economy and environment (2011-2018), and sustainable development (2019-2023), though economic objectives remain dominant. 2. A pronounced imbalance in policy tools: environmental tools (42.18%) were most frequent, followed by supply-oriented (37.30%) and demand-oriented tools (20.52%). 3. Regional disparities: Northern zones (politically closer to the central government) prioritized supply-oriented tools (e.g., infrastructure funding), while Southern and Eastern zones emphasized environmental tools (e.g., regulations). The study concludes that China's policy framework still prioritizes industrial growth over ecological balance. To advance SBE, policymakers must rebalance tool usage, and tailor strategies to regional contexts.
Keywords: Marine economy, Sustainable Blue Economy, policy tools, Social network, Content Analysis
Received: 07 Jan 2025; Accepted: 29 Jul 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Shen, Yang and Zhan. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Zhenjie Yang, Macao Polytechnic University, Macau, Macao, SAR China
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