One of the goals is to launch various innovative marine functional products and pharmaceuticals in the market and achieve an overall industrial added value of at least CNY130 billion (US$19bn) by the year 2030.
Last year, the sector achieved an added value of CNY99.6bn (US$14.7bn), an increase of nearly 40% since 2021.
The policy paper titled “Guiding Opinions on Accelerating the High-Quality Development of Marine Drugs and Functional Products” was unveiled during a press conference hosted by the Ministry of Natural Resources at the end of May.
It was drafted as part of China’s Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development from 2026 to 2030.
The other ministries involved in the drafting include the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the National Medical Products Administration.
Main marine ingredients produced
Chitosan, sodium alginate and marine collagen are some of the main marine functional ingredients produced in China.
“The industrial chain covers innovative marine drugs, marine health foods, marine biomaterials, and marine biological products. Among them, the output of raw materials such as chitosan and sodium alginate accounts for more than 80% of the global market share, and marine pharmaceuticals developed in China account for about 28% in the global market,” said Shen Jun, an official of the Ministry of Natural Resources at the press conference.
However, she noted that the current system is insufficient to drive high-quality innovation. There is thus a need for high-level ministerial coordination to accelerate industrial breakthrough.
As such, the policy paper would provide guiding principles in integrating various aspects of the sector, from resource management to technology use, industry development and application.
The SAMR added that marine health foods can be grouped into three categories: polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as fish oil and krill oil; polysaccharides, such as chitosan and sea cucumber polysaccharides; and proteins and peptides, such as fish collagen peptides and oyster peptides.
“These ingredients are important for meeting the diverse health needs of the public, such as anti-oxidation, immune regulation, and brain health maintenance,” said the SAMR in a press release.
Marine ingredients such as fish oil and spirulina have been added to the Health Food Raw Material Directory since March 2021, allowing companies to develop new health food products via the filing track, a quicker process than health food registration.
From shallow to deep-sea understanding
The ministries also acknowledge a lack of understanding of deep-sea marine ingredients and are hoping to explore their potential as part of this policy initiative.
According to the Compendium of Materia Medica written by the ancient Chinese herbalist Li Shizhen, there are over 150 types of marine functional ingredients. Examples include kelp, oysters and pearls.
These are, however, ingredients that can be found near the shores or in shallow seas. There is still a lack of knowledge of deep-sea ingredients.
“Due to technological limitations, these marine medicinal herbs were mainly distributed in near-shore and shallow seas, such as kelp, oysters, and pearls. Our understanding and exploration of deep-sea and pelagic organisms had been insufficient,” said Ma Zhongming, deputy director-general at the Department of Science and Technology, National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
With the development of modern science and technology, there is now a deeper understanding and exploration of the ocean, including microorganisms found in extreme deep-sea environments.
“We aim to use new technologies for the research and development of new resources based on the exploration and utilization of Traditional Chinese Medicinal theories and experiences, of which marine resources are an important part,” said Ma.
On the other hand, coastal cities such as Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo and Xiamen were earmarked as industrial clusters for driving the sector’s development. The Southern coastal areas were also highlighted as regions for the development of tropical marine biological resources.
