This Action Plan promotes high-quality development of China’s seawater desalination industry to diversify water supplies, address shortages in coastal cities and islands, conserve freshwater, strengthen ecological resilience and support sustainable development. By 2030, national desalination capacity is to exceed 4.5 million tonnes per day, including at least 1.5 million tonnes of new capacity.
The Plan expands desalinated-water use in municipal emergency supply, islands, ships, offshore platforms and water-intensive coastal industries. It supports larger projects, distribution infrastructure, advanced membranes, pumps and energy-recovery equipment, brine resource recovery, clean-energy integration, industrial-chain development and international cooperation. Implementation and support measures include financial and land support, green finance, updated technical and environmental standards, coordinated administration, monitoring and local implementation plans.