China's aquaculture output has topped the world for 32 consecutive years and the country has become the world's largest exporter and processor of aquatic products, making positive contributions to world food security, according to a white paper on the Development of China's ocean-going fisheries released by The State Council Information Office on Monday.

Aquatic products are globally recognized as healthy foods and play a key role in global food and nutrition security. Sustainable aquaculture development and effective fisheries management are essential to secure the supply of aquatic products to international markets. The white paper says there is a high degree of international consensus that fisheries play an important role in global food and nutrition security and the livelihoods of people in coastal areas.

International trade in aquatic products has grown significantly in recent years, according to the white paper. According to the statistics of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, in terms of import value, the EU is the largest single import market, accounting for 16% of the total global imports of aquatic products in 2020 (excluding intra-EU trade); The United States is the largest importer, accounting for 15 percent of global fish imports in 2020. In terms of exports, the top three exporting countries are China, Norway and Vietnam, and the exports of the three countries account for 25% of the total exports of global aquatic products. According to the statistics of China's General Administration of Customs, China exported 3.7474 million tons of aquatic products in 2020, accounting for 12% of the world's total exports of aquatic products, and the main export destinations include the EU, ASEAN, Japan, the United States and other countries and regions.

According to the statistics released by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization's "State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2022", the total output of global fisheries and aquaculture in 2020 reached 214 million tons, the highest level in history, of which aquaculture production reached 122.6 million tons, accounting for 57.29% of the total output of global fisheries and aquaculture.

China is the world's largest producer of aquatic products, with a total output of 65.49 million tons of aquatic products in 2020, including 52.24 million tons of aquaculture, accounting for about 80 percent of the total output of aquatic products, according to the white paper. China is also the world's top producer of aquaculture, with about 40% of the world's aquaculture products coming from China. The development of China's fishery industry, especially aquaculture industry, has made important contributions to meeting the consumption demand of aquatic products in China and the world, reducing the use of and dependence on natural Marine fishery resources, and promoting the scientific conservation and sustainable utilization of global fishery resources.