As an important node of the "the Belt and Road", ports play an important role in the construction of the "the Belt and Road", playing the role of "pioneers". China's port cargo throughput and container throughput have ranked first in the world for more than ten consecutive years. Supported by the rapid development of domestic ports and port trade, Chinese enterprises have continuously improved the port standardization system, improved the service capacity of the whole industrial chain, accumulated port construction, investment and operation strength, and actively invested in the construction of the "the Belt and Road".
Since the "the Belt and Road" initiative was put forward, the pace of "going global" of Chinese port enterprises has become more solid and their achievements have increased significantly. Today, Chinese port engineering construction enterprises, survey planning and design enterprises, port machinery manufacturing enterprises, etc. all have a place in the port construction of countries along the "the Belt and Road". According to statistics, Chinese enterprises have participated in the operation of 13 countries and 20 ports along the "the Belt and Road", and port cooperation projects continue to take root.
At the same time, under the realistic background of weakening the growth momentum of traditional port economy and slowing down the growth rate of throughput, Chinese port enterprises have achieved more stable development by participating in the construction of the "the Belt and Road". According to the index of Chinese port shipping enterprises released by the Shanghai Shipping Exchange, under the favorable concept of the "the Belt and Road" initiative, the index of Chinese port shipping enterprises has remained above 1200 points for a long time since March 2015.
In the future, China's port development will also usher in more development opportunities. The National Development and Reform Commission and the State Oceanic Administration jointly released the "the Belt and Road Initiative on Maritime Cooperation" in June this year, proposing to promote maritime connectivity. Strengthen port cooperation along the line by concluding friendly or sister port agreements, establishing port alliances and other forms, and support Chinese enterprises to participate in the construction and operation of ports along the line in various ways.
The Joint Construction of the the Belt and Road: Concept, Practice and China's Contribution released by China in May this year pointed out that "Six Corridors, Six Roads, Multi countries and Multi ports" is the main framework for the joint construction of the "the Belt and Road", providing a clear direction for countries to participate in the "the Belt and Road" cooperation. Among them, "multi port" refers to a number of cooperative ports that ensure the safety and smoothness of the major maritime transport corridors. Through the joint construction of a number of important ports and node cities with countries along the "the Belt and Road", maritime cooperation will be further prospered.
It is worth mentioning that under the "the Belt and Road" initiative, the development of Chinese port enterprises has not only brought their own economic benefits, but also brought tangible benefits to the countries where the port projects are located. With the in-depth promotion of the localization development of Chinese enterprises in the construction of overseas ports, a large number of local human resources have been used, which has led to local employment and has been welcomed by the host countries. At the same time, in the process of construction, Chinese enterprises actively contribute to the development experience of Chinese ports, promote Chinese models and standards, and "teach people to fish" and "teach them to fish". After the completion of port construction, these seaports have played a huge role in promoting the development of the local economy and even the host country.
In addition, as some foreign media and institutions have noticed, in the process of "going out", Chinese enterprises will not only build a port, but also invest in the adjacent free trade (special) economic zone and some other development projects. Cooperating with China, countries along the "the Belt and Road" will get a complete set of development plans.
Ports bring prosperity to cities, change the economic outlook of a country, and effectively support the sustained growth of the national economy. With the deepening of the construction of the "the Belt and Road", the "going global" of Chinese ports has ushered in new development opportunities. At the same time, the dividends of China's port development will also benefit more countries and people along the "the Belt and Road".