A thriving economy: the urban landscape of Zhoushan [Photo/zj.zjol.com]

People's living standards have been improved, Yu added, noting that per capita disposable income of the city's urban and rural residents rose by 75.9 and 47.2 times to 56,600 yuan and 33,800 yuan last year, respectively, compared with 1985 levels.

Improvements had also been seen in infrastructure and urban development, with 24 cross-sea bridges built or under construction in the city, spanning 81 kilometers.

Yu added that the Ningbo-Zhoushan Railway is expected to start construction in 2020, ending the day when Zhoushan has no rails. In addition, its urbanization grew from 56 percent in 2000 to 68.1 percent in 2018.

As for the China (Zhejiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone, located in Zhoushan, remarkable achievements have also been made in recent years, especially in building an oil and gas industrial chain integrating transport, processing, trade and transactions.