en.Wedoany.com Reported - The National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Natural Resources, and the Ministry of Water Resources of China recently jointly issued the "Action Plan for the Development of the Seawater Desalination Industry" (hereinafter referred to as the "Action Plan") to implement the deployment of the 15th Five-Year Plan outline on expanding emerging marine industries such as seawater desalination, and to promote high-quality development of the seawater desalination industry.
Focusing on the goals of water resource conservation and building a maritime power, the "Action Plan" adheres to market-oriented principles and takes expanding application scenarios as the main line. It deploys seven major actions: enhancing urban water security and resilience, upgrading water supply capacity for islands and ships, expanding industrial utilization scale, strengthening technological innovation to address shortcomings, improving industrial chain synergy and efficiency, promoting green and low-carbon transformation, and fostering international cooperation for mutual benefit. The plan aims to promote the integration of seawater desalination technology and industrial innovation, enhance the level of the industrial chain, and expand the large-scale utilization of desalinated water. The plan proposes that by 2030, the total scale of seawater desalination projects nationwide will reach over 4.5 million tons/day, with an additional capacity of over 1.5 million tons/day.
The National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Natural Resources, and the Ministry of Water Resources will work with relevant departments to implement the tasks outlined in the "Action Plan," strengthen overall coordination, guide coastal regions to refine work arrangements, and strengthen and optimize the seawater desalination industry to enhance water resource security capabilities, supporting the high-quality development of the marine economy and the construction of a maritime power.
The notice was issued in the form of the "Notice of the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Natural Resources, and the Ministry of Water Resources on Printing and Distributing the 'Action Plan for the Development of the Seawater Desalination Industry'" (Document No. Fa Gai Huan Zi [2026] No. 1062), with a signing date of July 2, 2026. It requires relevant authorities in all provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government, and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, as well as marine departments in Shanghai, Zhejiang, Fujian, Shandong, Guangxi, Hainan, and other regions, to organize implementation.
