The development plan of the Blue Economic Zone in Yantai pictures a bright future for local marine economy.

According to the plan, by 2015, total output value of Yantai's marine industry will reach 220 billion yuan ($35.64 billion) with an annual growth rate of 15 percent, accounting for 31 percent of Yantai's total.

In addition to 12 research institutions, colleges and universities engaged in marine scientific research, Yantai boasts more than 20 provincial marine economy facilities, with $2 billion in total foreign investment.

Meanwhile, chemical oxygen demand (COD) into the sea will continue to be cut. One more marine nature reserve and seven more special reserves will be built to improve ecological environment.

By 2020, Yantai will build an influential and competitive marine economic zone. It will strive to transform itself into a model in marine economy development; a transportation and logistics hub that connects China, Japan and South Korea; an international tourist city; and a model for integrated coastal management and marine ecological civilization.

Yantai will speed up modern marine industrial system development; strengthen competitive industries, including marine organisms, marine equipment manufacturing, and marine energy and mineral resources; promote four pillar industries - marine fishery, marine cultural tourism, marine transportation and logistics, and port processing and manufacturing; and give priority to emerging high-end industries, including eco-environment protection, new marine service and seawater utilization.

In addition, Yantai will push forward construction of 23 key marine economy parks involving a park for nuclear power equipment manufacturing and a shipping industrial park. It will also accelerate the development of 18 innovative platforms, such as the Yantai CIMC Marine Engineering Research Institute, in an attempt to foster a group of leading companies and build a variety of influential marine economic brands.

By 2015, output value of Yantai's marine industry is expected to exceed 266 billion yuan, with 16 percent in annual growth.

Yu Dong, director of the Yantai commercial bureau, said that Yantai plans to attract some Fortune 500 enterprises and global industrial leaders to establish manufacturing, R&D and marketing centers and transform itself into a popular spot for foreign investment.