China Issues First Policy on Marine Biomedical Industry
China has issued its first-ever national-level policy document dedicated to the development of the marine biomedical industry, marking a significant milestone in the country’s blue economy strategy. The “Guiding Opinions on Accelerating the High-Quality Development of Marine Drugs and Functional Products” was jointly released on May 28 by the Ministry of Natural Resources and seven other government departments, signaling a whole-of-government push to harness the therapeutic potential of the ocean.
Landmark Policy for a Growing Sector
The policy sets an ambitious target: by 2030, multiple marine innovative drugs should reach the market, with industry added value exceeding 130 billion yuan (approximately $18 billion USD). According to Xinhua News, the document emphasizes building a comprehensive innovation system across the “resource chain, technology chain, industry chain, and application chain,” promoting deep integration of technological and industrial innovation.
Shen Jun, Director of the Department of Marine Strategic Planning and Economy at the Ministry of Natural Resources, outlined the policy’s six core components during a press conference: overall requirements, strengthening resource supply foundations, enhancing technological innovation support, optimizing industrial development layout, accelerating market application expansion, and strengthening policy measures and guarantees. The Securities Times reported that the policy also calls for increased financial investment, talent development, and operational monitoring to support implementation.
China’s Growing Marine Drug Capabilities
China’s self-developed marine drugs already account for nearly 30% of globally marketed categories, according to Xinhua. Key products include chitosan, alginate, marine collagen, and algal acid double ester (PSS), while several innovative drugs are advancing through clinical trials covering oncology, anti-infection, and respiratory diseases. Notably, BG136 — China’s first marine polysaccharide anti-tumor drug — is currently in Phase III trials.
Wang Xiaoyang, Deputy Director of the Consumer Goods Industry Department at the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), described the sector as being in a critical period of “gathering strength, climbing uphill, and accelerating expansion.” Speaking at the same press conference, Wang noted that the marine drug industry is expected to become a “blue engine” supporting the high-quality development of the pharmaceutical sector, as reported by China News Business.
Integration into National Planning
A key development is the inclusion of marine drugs and functional products in the upcoming “Fifteenth Five-Year Plan for Pharmaceutical Industry Development” (2026-2030), which MIIT is currently drafting. Wang confirmed that the plan will designate marine biomedical products as a key development area, providing clear direction and detailed tasks for the industry’s growth.
The policy also outlines a three-pronged strategy: planning integration into national frameworks, technological breakthroughs in deep-sea resource cultivation and high-throughput screening, and industrial cultivation through specialized enterprises and pilot platforms.
Geographic and Economic Context
China’s marine economy exceeded 10 trillion yuan for the first time in 2024, growing 5.9% year-on-year. The marine drug and bioproducts sector has maintained steady development, with key industrial clusters forming in coastal provinces including Shandong, Zhejiang, Fujian, and Guangdong. These regions are accelerating the development of specialized industry chains with increasingly close upstream-downstream collaboration.
Implications and Outlook
The release of this first-ever dedicated policy document signals that China’s marine biomedical sector has reached critical mass and is now a strategic priority. By positioning marine drugs as a key component of the blue economy, Beijing is signaling its intent to compete at the frontier of pharmaceutical innovation.
Industry analysts suggest that the cross-departmental approach — involving eight government bodies — indicates a coordinated national strategy rather than piecemeal support. The ambitious 130 billion yuan target by 2030, combined with MIIT’s commitment to cultivate specialized “little giant” enterprises, suggests substantial policy support and investment will flow into the sector over the coming years.
As China transitions from “following” to “running alongside” and in some areas “leading” in marine drug development, the global pharmaceutical industry will be watching closely to see which of these ocean-derived therapies make it from the laboratory to the bedside.