Cities seek hub status on Maritime Silk Road
March 27, 2014 Category Economic hubs, Logistics
China’s coastal provinces are trying to become the key hubs along the new “Maritime Silk Road”, a national initiative aimed at strengthening cooperation with the 10-country Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Fujian is one of the areas that has been actively engaged in developing its ports, particularly the one in Quanzhou, a city recognized by UNESCO as the starting point of the maritime road, said Zheng Xincong, Mayor of Quanzhou. Improving the port’s customs clearance is high on the agenda of the local government. With current cargo capacity of over 1.7 million TEU, Quanzhou port has embarked on a large infrastructure development program to increase total capacity. The port has opened about 130 shipping routes, establishing trade with 28 countries and regions. Xia Guoji, a Quanzhou Port Authority official, suggested that the Quanzhou government collect documents about the port’s Shihu area to submit to the central government for approval as a free trade port. “A free-trade port that will offer great convenience for trade and investment plays a crucial role in building a modern ‘Maritime Silk Road’, and the Shihu area, which did well in container service, is the ideal area for free trade port policies,” Xia said. Besides Fujian, Guangxi and Hainan are also making efforts to develop a maritime industry. Zheng Junjian, Secretary General of the China-ASEAN Expo Secretariat, said this year’s expo, which will be held in Nanning, capital of Guangxi, will highlight exhibitions and investment projects that involve maritime cooperation. The Yangpu economic development zone on the northwestern coast of Hainan province has the potential to turn into a logistical and industrial base for the Maritime Silk Road. The Yangpu zone has one 35,000-ton berth, one 20,000-ton berth and three 3,000-ton berths, with three 20,000-ton berths under construction.
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