Yu Donglai, Party chief of Zhoushan, addresses a news conference focusing on achievements the city has made over the past seven decades, in Hangzhou on Sept 10. [Photo/zhoushan.cn] 

The island city of Zhoushan has taken every opportunity to build a modern marine industrial system underpinned by port-centered manufacturing, green petrochemicals, port logistics and ocean tourism industries, said Yu Donglai, the top official of the city.

The Party chief of Zhoushan made his remarks on Sept 10 in Hangzhou at a news conference focusing on achievements the city has made over the past seven decades since the founding of the People's Republic of China.

As the first prefecture-level island city in China, Zhoushan is now one of the cities with the strongest maritime economies, said Yu. He said the level of port cargo handled by the city leaped from 2.96 million metric tons in 1987 to 508 million tons last year -- and that the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port now ranks first in the world in terms of cargo turnover.

Driven by strong maritime growth, the city's regional GDP increased from 40 million yuan ($5.62 million) in 1951 to 131.67 billion yuan last year.

Statistics showed that GDP per capita grew to 112,500 yuan, ranking Zhoushan third among other cities in Zhejiang in this category. Fiscal revenue also increased from 8.46 million yuan in 1953 to 21.84 billion yuan last year.