Wenzhou's "Blue Bay Dream" Shines at Osaka Expo: A Model for China's Ocean Ecological Restoration

At the recent China Pavilion Zhejiang Week event during the Osaka Expo, Wenzhou's Dongtou District showcased its"Blue Bay Dream" initiative, drawing significant attention. As one of the five key"Two Mountains" practice cases promoted by Zhejiang Province, it presented China's marine ecological restoration efforts to the world under the banner of the"Wenzhou Model."

The"Blue Bay Dream" Program. Photograph provided by Wenzhou News

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the"Two Mountains" concept. As the birthplace of this philosophy, Zhejiang has selected 20 representative achievements from across the province to promote globally at the Osaka Expo. Among these, Wenzhou's"Blue Bay" restoration project stands out with its dual focus on ecological recovery and economic development, making it a focal point of promotion. Previously, this case study had been featured twice at press conferences held by the State Council Information Office, included in the"Ecological Restoration Bulletin (2024)" and the White Paper on"China's Marine Ecological Protection," establishing itself as a national-level ecological model.

Wenzhou's"Blue Bay Dream" represents an ecological practice that evolved from"single-point breakthroughs" to"systematic governance." In recent years, Wenzhou has secured six national projects and three provincial projects through its"Blue Bay" initiative, receiving RMB 1.4 billion in central government funding and RMB 106 million in provincial funds, transforming the vision of"Blue Bay" into reality.

In terms of ecological protection, Wenzhou has integrated"Blue Bay" with the creation of an"International Wetland City," planting over 400 hectares of mangrove forests, forming China's northernmost mangrove base, and creating a coastal wetland landscape characterized by"three rivers of clear water, a thousand miles of coastline, and ten thousand hectares of water towns." Nanji Archipelago successfully applied to become an internationally important wetland, becoming the first oceanic World Wetland in Zhejiang Province. Additionally, both Dongtou and Nanji were selected as part of the first batch of"Harmonious Beautiful Islands" nationwide, enhancing their ecological foundation.

Moreover, Wenzhou has turned its ecological beauty into economic value. For example, Cangnan's 168 Ecological Coastline offers a full-range, all-season cultural tourism product matrix, making activities like"sea-viewing, seafood-eating, and beach games" trendy. Leveraging marine resources, Dongtou's"International Ecotourism Island" attracts tourists worldwide with sports, culture, and fishing tourism integration.

The"Blue Bay" practice also showcases governance innovation—pioneering mechanisms such as"who restores, who benefits," attracting private capital to participate in marine ecological protection; leading the nation by establishing a municipal-level mangrove research center, constructing carbon sink assessment models, and facilitating Zhejiang's first mangrove carbon trading deal. These innovations not only make the"Blue Bay" experience replicable and scalable but also exemplify Wenzhou's interpretation of the principle that"green waters and green mountains are golden mountains and silver seas."（He Qunfang）