The central government has rolled out a series of measures to boost China's marine-derived medicines and biological products industry, according to a document published on Thursday.

The document, jointly issued by eight central departments including the Ministry of Natural Resources, the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Science and Technology, outlines guidelines on accelerating the high-quality development of marine-derived medicines and biological products. It marks the first time China has issued specific measures to advance the industry.

According to the document, the guidelines cover all businesses engaged in developing medicines and biological products using marine organisms, including their metabolites, minerals and other substances as raw materials. They aim to promote technological and industrial innovation.

The document also sets multiple goals for the industry to achieve by 2030, such as the launch of several new marine drugs, an overall industrial added value of at least 130 billion yuan ($19 billion), major progress in innovation capacity and industrial clustering, and positioning China as a global leader in the field.

A total of 15 specific measures are listed in the guidelines, including consolidating resource supply, strengthening technological innovation, optimizing industrial development orientation, promoting consumption of marine medicines and biological products, and improving policy support.

Shen Jun, a senior official in charge of marine strategic planning and economy at the Ministry of Natural Resources, said marine biomass accounts for 87 percent of the total biomass on Earth, making the oceans a vast repository of medicinal resources.

She noted that the Chinese government attaches great importance to the development of the marine pharmaceutical and biological products industry.

"Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, our marine biomedicine industry has achieved substantial progress. Last year, the industrial added value in this country reached 99.6 billion yuan," the official said.

Shen said the guidelines emphasize coordinated planning and collaboration among government authorities, improved government services and supervision, besides encouragement for local governments to develop relevant industries based on local conditions.

Zhang Donghua, executive president of the Marine Biomedical Research Institute of Qingdao, said the marine environment is marked by extreme conditions including high pressure, high salinity, low light and oligotrophic, poor plant nutrients, surroundings. Such unique habitats drive marine organisms to produce secondary metabolites with novel structures and distinctive biological activities.

"Globally, marine biomedicine has become a strategic emerging industry prioritized by major maritime nations. The implementation of the new guidelines will help improve resource supply, optimize investment and planning, and advance research in core technologies, thus strengthening the overall competitiveness of China's marine biomedicine industry," he said.