History:

Zhoushan has a profound cultural heritage. In the Neolithic age, as early as 5,000 years ago or more, industrious and intelligent ancestors created a splendid civilization called "Hemudu on the Sea".

Zhoushan was named Haizhongzhou in ancient times and Yong Dong during the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC). In the Emperor Kaiyuan Period of the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907), the royal court set up in Wengshan County (Zhoushan now), while in the Emperor Xining period of the Song Dynasty (AD 960-1279), the county was named Changguo. In the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty (AD 1644-1911), it was called Dinghai County.

Zhoushan Archipelago New Area:

Zhoushan Archipelago New Area was officially approved by the State Council on June 30, 2010. It is the fourth State-level new area after Pudong New Area in Shanghai, Binhai New Area in Tianjin and Liangjiang New Area in Chongqing. It's also the first national new area focused on marine economy.

According to the Development Planning for Zhoushan Archipelago New Area issued by the State Council on January 17, 2013, Zhoushan should be developed into a pilot area for Zhejiang's ocean economy, an experimental zone for comprehensive marine development, and an important economic growth pole in the Yangtze River Delta.

The plan also declared that Zhoushan Archipelago New Area should develop itself into a center for storage, transshipment, processing and trade of bulk commodities, an offshore gateway in East China, an important modern marine industry base, an island protection and development demonstration area, and a pilot area in sea-land integrated development.

The municipal government has clarified that the development goal for the Zhoushan Archipelago New Area is to create an international logistics hub, an offshore gateway of East China to the outside world, an international eco-friendly island for leisure, a garden city on the sea and a service hub for river-sea intermodal transport.