On October 18th, the 2020 China Marine Economy Expo (CMEE) successfully concluded in Shenzhen as the city is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone. Guided by the spirit of the congratulatory letter from General Secretary Xi Jinping to the 2019 CMEE, high-standard exhibitions, forums and supporting activities were launched at this year's event under the theme of "open cooperation and shared benefits", leaving continuous highlights and fruitful results.

High-grade, high-precision, advanced technology results exhibited offline and online

Focusing on the frontier areas of marine strategy, the 2020 CMEE set up six sections: ships and port shipping, marine resource development, high-end marine equipment, marine electronic information, marine ecological environmental protection and safety, and marine biomedicine to showcase the achievements of China's marine economic development and the latest achievements of the global marine economy. The exhibition area reached 60,000 m2, increasing by 63% from last year. The 608 exhibitors, including 67 overseas companies, cover more than 40 upstream and downstream segments of the marine industry. An audience of 35,000 visited the exhibition.

A large number of “national significant inventions” such as "Deep Sea One", "Jiaolong", "Tiankun", submarine optical cable repeaters, intelligent bionic robotic fish, and unmanned ships, and other high-tech research and development results, were unveiled. A batch of economic tools such as the "2020 China Ocean Economic Development Index" and the "Blue Economy Stock Price Index" were also released.

"Online exhibition" also became a highlight of this year's CMEE. More than 200 enterprises built up virtual special equipment. With the help of new technological means such as VR/AR and cloud computing, the audience could have an in-depth understanding of the enterprises’ strength through virtual roaming, freely observe the exhibits through a 720-degree panorama, and connect with enterprises at any time for supply and demand information, and firmly grasp industry business opportunities and dynamics. It’s more worth mentioning that in national significant inventions exhibition area of “online CMEE”, a large number of well-known marine facilities such as “Xuelong 2” ship, “Blue Whale 2” rig, and “Offshore Oil 119” FPSO were presented so that the audience had an opportunity to experience the advanced design and unique charm of national significant vehicles anytime, anywhere.

Global big shots gathered to share the latest ocean-related ideas

During the 2020 CMEE, 1 strategic forum and 18 professional forums were held, with topics covering hot spots such as marine resource development, marine biomedicine, high-end marine engineering equipment, ship and port construction, marine satellites, and coastal and bay area ecological environmental protection. Development, talents, and innovation have become the focus of concern, while entrepreneurs, experts and scholars share a common vision to promote the high-quality development of the marine economy and build a new development pattern through cooperation.

20 Chinese and foreign academicians, as well as relevant leaders of major international social organizations such as UNESCO, the World Bank, WWF, and the World Ocean Council, as well as relevant leaders of world-renowned companies were invited to the forums to exchange ideas, and each forum proved to be a full house. "Cloud Forum" was launched for the first time, which expanded the CMEE’s global influence and created a smart feast in the field of marine economy.

Project transactions and result conversion have been promoted

The 2020 CMEE built a project transaction matchmaking platform, and more than 100 supporting activities involving marine economic investment introduction and project promotion, matchmaking negotiation between financial institutions and enterprises, project investment and financing roadshow, product and technology release, and matchmaking of marine scientific research results (including marine incubator publicity, satellite IoT and smart ocean integration application project roadshow, and marine biomedicine and functional product industry development investment and financing matchmaking meeting) were held to promote the investment in the marine economy and the industrialization of technology applications.

Shenzhen targets the "blue opportunity"

Compared with last year, this year's CMEE was larger in scale, lasted longer and offered more highlights. Merchants from sectors brought a large number of high-tech and sophisticated technical equipment, and the upstream and downstream industries of the marine economy were connected, seeking to share new opportunities for marine development, and injecting strong "blue power" into the development engine of Shenzhen.

In 2017, the 13th Five-Year Plan for National Marine Economic Development proposed to “promote the construction of Shenzhen as a global ocean center city”; in 2019, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Plan Outline made major deployments for the construction of Shenzhen as a global ocean center city; then, in the Opinions of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council on Supporting Shenzhen to Build a Pilot Demonstration Zone of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics, it is proposed that "support Shenzhen to accelerate the construction as a global ocean center city". Shenzhen shoulders the important responsibility to seize the blue opportunity and develop the blue economy.

According to the statistics, in 2019, Shenzhen’s gross ocean product was approximately CNY 260 billion, seeing a year-on-year increase of approximately 8%. The GOP accounted for approximately 10% of the city’s GDP, increasing year by year. The marine economy has gradually become a "new force" to drive Shenzhen's economic and social development.

Industry experts said that Shenzhen’s advantage lies in its abundant marine resources and excellent industrial environment. An important path for Shenzhen to build a global ocean center city is to give play to its own advantages, activate marine scientific research results, integrate policy, scientific research, capital and industries, and consolidate the foundation for development.

An important mission of this CMEE was to promote land-based enterprises to enter the marine economy. Jumping out of the ocean "circle", this CMEE targeted land-ocean coordination to create a window for leading land-based enterprises to explore the ocean. Undoubtedly, the experience of land-based industries in the industrialization of scientific research results will provide valuable reference for the development of marine industries.

In order to seize the "blue opportunity" and accelerate the construction of a global ocean center city, Shenzhen recently issued the Implementation Plan on Accelerating the Construction of a Global Ocean Center City as a Maritime Power and Vanguard (2020-2025) (the Plan). According to the Plan, during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, Shenzhen will consolidate the "four beams and eight pillars (foundations)", focusing on the development of five major areas: marine economy, marine technology, marine ecology and culture, integrated marine management, and global marine governance, and vigorously promote the demonstrative construction of 63 key projects. By 2025, Shenzhen will become a benchmark city of China for the sustainable development of marine economy, marine culture and marine ecology, and an important representative of "China's blue power".