The total output value of Guangxi's maritime economy is estimated to have increased by 5.9 percent in 2020 to 340.6 billion yuan ($52.67 billion) based on preliminary statistics, officials said during a work conference on Feb 26.

Both the volume and growth rate of Guangxi's maritime economy increased year by year throughout the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-20).

In 2020, the region gave approval to 12 projects, utilizing a total of 845.47 hectares of sea area and seven islands of 17.95 hectares. The retention rate of the natural coastline in Guangxi reached 37 percent, 2 percentage points higher than the national control target.

Guangxi is now home to 92 coastal port companies and 280 productive berths, 86 of which have a capacity of more than 10,000 metric tons. The largest of them has a capacity of 30,000 tons.

Currently, three coastal cities in Guangxi - namely Beihai, Qinzhou and Fangchenggang - have formed seven advantageous coastal industrial systems for areas spanning electronic information, green chemical industry and new metal materials. The three cities have built 11 major industrial parks with an output of at least 10 billion yuan each. Two of them have an output of more than 100 billion yuan.

During the 13th Five-Year Plan period, the region devoted efforts to constructing sectors such as maritime scientific research and education to support the development of the maritime economy. The region had set up 176 maritime scientific research projects at the regional level by the end of 2020 to push forward innovation in maritime technology.