Bioeconomy Pathways for Sustainable Development in China: A Conceptual and Policy Review

Abstract

This study examines how China’s bioeconomy can contribute to sustainable development through a conceptual and policy-oriented review of key bioeconomic pathways. It develops an integrated analytical framework grounded in the Circular Economy, Ecological Modernization Theory, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to assess the role of bioeconomic transformation in China’s green development strategy. The paper identifies six major pathways: sustainable agriculture and food systems, forestry, ecosystem services, bioenergy, bio-based materials, and bio-based and eco-integrated cities. These pathways can support resource efficiency, carbon-emission reduction, rural development, industrial innovation, and ecological restoration when they are embedded within effective governance and circular resource-use principles. The analysis highlights that China’s bioeconomy is increasingly supported by national policy frameworks, including the 14th Five-Year Plan for Bioeconomy Development, but also faces important trade-offs related to land use, biodiversity protection, biomass sourcing, lifecycle emissions, and regional implementation capacity. The study concludes that the bioeconomy should not be treated as inherently sustainable; rather, its contribution to China’s sustainable development depends on policy coherence, environmental safeguards, lifecycle assessment, inclusive governance, and integration with broader SDG objectives.