The idea of a city in the ocean populated by people capable of
swimming around as freely as fish is more than a dream: Chinese
marine scientists predict it will be a reality, and possibly by the
end of this century.
This was one of the predictions put forward by four prominent
marine scientists -- Yuan Yeli, Tang Qisheng, Xiang Jianhai, and
Gao Shu in a televised forum on the ocean that included discussion
of the the potential changes to human life that marine science will
make over the next 100 years.
All four scientists are involved with China's key "973" research
project, a key national basic research project ratified in March
1997 by the State Council, China's cabinet. Sponsored by the
Ministry of Science and Technology, it aims to select and support
various research programs across the nation. So far, more than 60
projects have been ratified, including four marine projects.
"The ocean in the 21st century will be a digital ocean," said Yuan
Yeli, director of the First
Institute of Oceanology under the State Oceanic Administration.
As an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering Science,
Yuan predicted that in the future people will drive their private
boats to take a long ocean journey, during which they can check out
on the Internet navigation routes and related information such as
climate and other features of their destinations.
Tang Qisheng, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Sciences
and director of the Huanghai Marine Products Institute under the
Chinese Institute of Aquaculture, believes that in the years to
come marine products will enrich people's diets, providing humans
with more and better food. The distinguished ecologist also said
that the 21st century will be a century characterized by
multi-discipline and cross-discipline research which will generate
many new marine sciences.
Xiang Jianhai, president of Ocean Research Institute of the Chinese
Academy of Sciences, said that humans originated in the ocean, and
in the 21st century, humans will return to the ocean. He also said
that humans would build many cities and ports under the ocean, and
at some point devise ways to be able to swim as fish in the wide
ocean.
"Now, more and more people are talking about migrating to the moon.
For me, migrating to the ocean would be more realistic and
practical," this well-respected scientist added.
Gao Shu, senior researcher at Ocean Research Institute of the
Chinese Academy of Sciences, presented an even more imaginative
view:
He
thinks that in the later part of this century, about 90 percent of
China's population will be living in the coastal provinces. At the
same time, this young ocean scientist believes that China will
become a strong ocean country in the 21st century.
"In the 21st century, people will get together along the sea
shores," he said.
Ocean provides new economic opportunity for China's national
economy
According to the State Oceanic Administration, marine economy is
becoming a new growth point in China's national economy. In a
recently released report, the State Oceanic Administration declared
that in the past 20 years, the total output value of major marine
industries has increased five-fold to reach 327 billion yuan
(US$39.56 billion), the average annual growth rate being 25
percent, much faster than the growth rate of the national
economy.
Chen Qingtai, vice director of the Development Research Center of
the State Council, estimated that the marine products' output value
will account for more than 5 percent of China's gross national
product, provided that China's marine industry keeps up the current
growing rate. He also noted that since the adoption of the
opening-up and reform policy more than two decades ago, the ocean
has become one of the most important channels through which China
fully engages in the global economy. At the same time, marine
economy enjoys a more important role in the national economy. Take
the year 1998 for instance: The overall output value of marine
products amounted to 310 billion yuan (US$37.50 billion)
As
a major developing ocean country, China has a 18000-km-long (11,185
miles) coastal line and more than 6500 islands. Experts agree that
China's superior natural resources and environment as well as its
various kinds of species provide China with a huge potential in
developing its marine industry.
China has built 59 marine reserves
According to information from the State Oceanic Administration, 59
ocean reserves of various types have been built so far. All of them
are making great contributions to the protection of the typical
marine eco-system and the diversity of the oceanic organisms.
The Chinese government also puts heavy emphasis on protecting the
ocean resources and environment. Since the 1980s, under the
guidance of the State Oceanic Administration, all the coastal
provinces have made appropriate district divisions in ocean areas
to help provide a scientific basis for the ocean's overall
management.
To
make better use of the ocean, the State Oceanic Administration and
the Ministry of Finance formulated in 1993 a Provisional
Regulations on the Utilization and Management of Sea Areas to
promote licensed and paid uses of marine waters.
In
addition, the State Oceanic Administration has cooperated actively
with related international organizations in promoting the
application of comprehensive sea management in China. With great
support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), China
has set up varying modes of coastline management demonstration
zones in Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan provinces.
118 frontier projects put forward by scientists
In
terms of ocean research, Chinese scientists are approaching the
world's top levels. According to a recent publication, Frontier
Disciplines for Contemporary Ocean Technology, Chinese
authoritative ocean researchers used in-depth studies on the status
quo of the world oceanology to put forward for the first time 118
frontier projects, covering marine physics, marine chemistry,
marine geology, marine organism and marine environment. All these
projects are expected to lead China into a new era of further
developing and protecting the ocean, said Qin Yunshan, president of
the China Society of Ocean, Lakes and Swamps.
Frontier Disciplines for Contemporary Ocean Technology, an
in-depth summary of the present situation of the world's oceans, is
co-edited by Su Jilan and Qin Yunshan, two distinguished
academicians with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and published by
Xueyuan Publishing House. Su Jilan, the chairman of the
Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the United Nations,
said that having a summary and introduction to the frontier
disciplines of the worlds' development in marine science is a basic
and far-reaching work, which will definitely play an important role
in promoting China's ocean research.
(Dragon News Net, November 13, 2001, translated for china.org.cn by
Feng Shu)