Breadcrumb
China
Capital:
Beijing
Inland Water Area:
27,060km²
Length of Coastline:
32,000km
In line with the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Administration of Sea Areas (2001), all 11 coastal provinces (18,000km continental coastline) have developed and passed provincial sea area use ordinances which coordinate allocation of sea areas for various sectoral uses. Use permits providing use rights to about 10,000km2 of sea space including the use for mariculture are issued annually and generate user fees of around 1 billion RMB per year, which safeguard the legitimate right of users legally. Regular field inspections are conducted of the use permits.
In 2002, the country issued a national mechanism to guarantee the implementation of ICM across China. The Law of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) on the Administration of the Use of Sea Areas mandates the collection and utilization system of sea-use payment, and the establishment of a sea area functional zoning system and the ecological red line system. Under these key systems, ecological restoration projects were launched nationwide through “Blue Bay,” “Ecological Islands” and “Planting of Mangroves in the South and Tamarisks in the North.” In November 2017, the Master Plan of Guangdong Province on Coastal Integrated Protection and Utilization was issued by the State Oceanic Administration of PRC together with the People’s Government of Guangdong Province, marking the first ever provincial ICM master plan in China.
The country also introduced a new concept called “Bay Chief System,” which centered on clarifying the responsibilities of local governments on every level of marine eco- environmental protection. The Bay Chief System is now implemented in Lianyungang City.
China's growing marine economy was valued at US$435 billion in 2008, accounting for 9.87% of the national GDP and responsible for 32.18 million jobs.
Focal Points:
Ms. Chen Danhong (National Focal Point)
Director-General, Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR)
Ms. Xu Heyun (Operational Focal Point)
Division Director, Department of International Cooperation, MNR
RELATED PUBLICATIONS
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Integrated River Basin Management Project Newsletter - Edition 4
“Making Waves from Source to Sea” is the fourth edition of the Integrated River Basin Management Project’s newsletter, which highlights the different levels of key activities and milestones for the second year of the Project across the region. From the IRBM Project’s participation at the recently concluded 10th Biennial International Water Conference in Uruguay, to regional gender and social inclusion workshop in Indonesia, and river basin level consultation with indigenous leaders and other stakeholders — the IRBM Project is gaining more momentum to ensure impactful results in each site.
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IRBM Stories - Pasac-Guagua Watershed: A Sanctuary for Wildlife and People
Located in the central region of northern Philippines, the Pasac -Guagua Watershed is a critical source of water and livelihood that supports 152 villages within the watershed. It is one of the major river systems that drain to Manila Bay, considered the main harbor of the country that is connected to a larger marine ecosystem, that is, the South China Sea.
The Pasac-Guagua Watershed is also a biodiversity haven where a portion of it is an important migratory path for water birds. The protection and sustainable management of the watershed is essential not only for the communities and wildlife thriving in the area for coastal and marine ecosystems connected to the river.
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PEMSEA eBulletin - September 2024
Dear PEMSEA community,
Welcome to the September e-bulletin!
With just over a month to go until the East Asian Seas Congress, we are excited to unveil our lineup of global and regional experts who will lead various technical sessions and plenary discussions. The opening ceremony will feature Mr. Vidar Helgesen, Executive Secretary of IOC-UNESCO and Assistant Secretary-General of UNESCO, alongside Dr. Vann Monyneath, Chair of the EAS Partnership Council, Ministers and senior leaders of PEMSEA country and non-country partners.
As the EASC returns to Xiamen, discover how the Congress has evolved and thrived over three decades, paralleling the city’s own journey toward promoting sustainable and resilient blue economy.
This month, PEMSEA representatives are taking the stage at various workshops and events across the globe. PEMSEA Executive Director Aimee Gonzales participated in the Marine Spatial Planning Cooperation Workshop of Maritime Silk Road Partner Countries held in Beijing, China, on 26 September 2024 where she emphasized the importance of integrating coastal management mechanisms with area-based management tools to meet global biodiversity targets.
Ms. Nancy Bermas, Regional Project Manager of the UNDP/GEF/ASEAN Integrated River Basin Management (IRBM) Project, attended the 10th Biennial International Waters Conference (IWC10) in Punta del Este, Uruguay, from 23-26 September 2024, where she delivered a pitch on the IRBM Project’s experience in establishing governance mechanisms at both regional and basin levels.
While Ms. Gusung Lee, PEMSEA Technical Advisor was in Bangkok, Thailand to represent PEMSEA in a panel discussion on regional and subregional instruments, frameworks and bodies (IFBs) at the Workshop for North-East and South-East Asia on the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement), held from 16-20 September 2024. She discussed PEMSEA’s experience in Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) and Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) as essential tools to manage land-sea use interaction which would be vital in extending protection and sustainable management of biodiversity in the high seas.
From the field, we share the latest updates on the UNDP/GEF/ASEAN IRBM project which held a dialogue with indigenous leaders in the Province of Pampanga on 17 September 2024. The Marine Plastics Project local partners in Dipolog City and Bulan, Sorsogon in the Philippines participated in the International Coastal Cleanup on 21 September 2024.
In other news, PEMSEA and the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) have renewed their partnership on biodiversity conservation and marine habitat protection and restoration through a five-year Letter of Cooperation, signed on 20 September 2024, by their respective Executive Directors Aimee Gonzales and Dr. Theresa Mundita S. Lim.
From the ATSEA-2 Project, check out the recent publication of six key scientific studies focused on marine conservation and sustainable development in the Arafura and Timor Seas.