An assessment for marine economic resilience and exploration of enhancement strategies: A case study of China

Abstract

The marine economy is widely considered the next frontier of economic growth and will make significant contributions to the overall economy of many countries. However, fluctuations in the development of the marine economy intensify the focus on risk management, thereby driving the pursuit of greater resilience. Through a thorough analysis of conceptual evolution of resilience, an evaluative framework has been developed, encompassing four aspects across which resilience is manifested and fourteen indicators selected from the economic, social, and ecological systems. Furthermore, marine economic resilience was calculated for China using the Critic-Topsis method and analyzed from the overall, temporal, and spatial perspectives. Then the relationship between spatial structure and the enhancement of resilience was investigated. The findings are as follows: (1) Marine economic resilience across all provinces and municipalities has been improving over time in China; Shandong Province and Guangdong Province stand out as particularly prominent examples in terms of their performance. (2) The updating and progressing aspect of marine economic resilience plays an increasingly pivotal role in the system's ability to respond to shocks. Advances in marine scientific research and the expansion of talent reserves bolster the learning ability to derive insights from such shocks, facilitating the system's resilience. (3) There are significant variations in marine economic resilience across different marine economic circles and among provinces within each circle, and spatial imbalances and lack of coordination can affect the overall improvement of marine economic resilience. An optimal spatial structure that promotes resilience features an appropriate degree of multicentricity. Therefore, to boost the development of marine economy, the enhancement of resilience should be a continuous focus, and the updating and progressing aspect of marine economic resilience supported by learning capabilities are crucial. It is also critical for coastal areas to strengthen cooperation to promote the overall marine economic resilience.