First Observation|Navigation Day, to see how the General Secretary took the pulse of “shipping power”

  July 11th is the 16th China Maritime Day.

  General Secretary Xi Jinping once profoundly pointed out: "Economic power must be a maritime power and a shipping power." Shipping is inseparable from the port. The development of the port has always had a heavy weight in the mind of General Secretary Xi Jinping. Whether working in Fujian, Zhejiang, Shanghai and other places, or after working in the central government, the port has always been one of the key points of his investigation and attention.

  During his tenure in Ningde, Fujian, Xi Jinping believed that if coastal areas want to be prosperous, they must first build a port; when serving in Zhejiang, they should use the port as the engine for the development of the marine economy of the province; Shanghai is moving towards the fulcrum of the international arena and vigorously promoting the construction of the Shanghai International Shipping Center.

  Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping has planned the layout of the port in a broader perspective and planned the construction of a shipping power. He often takes the opportunity of domestic inspections or visits to conduct research at the port and guide his work:

  In July 2013, inspected Wuhan Xingang Yangluo Container Port Area;

  In September 2014, inspected the Port of Colombo South Container Terminal in Sri Lanka and attended the opening ceremony of the Port City;

  In January 2016, inspected Guoyuan Port in Chongqing;

  In April 2017, inspected Guangxi Tieshan Port;

  In November 2018, inspect the Shanghai Phase 4 video port Yangshan Port automated terminal, and listen to the introduction of construction and operation;

  In November 2019, during the visit to Greece, visited the COSCO Shipping Piraeus Port project;

  In March 2020, inspect the Chuanshan Port Area of ​​Zhoushan Port, Ningbo, Zhejiang...

  What is the significance of General Secretary Xi Jinping's investigation and investigation?

Department of Shipping

  The sea is prosperous, while the sea is fading. Shipping has always been an important pillar of China's economic development.

  Historical experience proves that there are many ways to become a strong country, but through the development of an industry, the country's status is promoted. This is rare in the world's industrial economy, and the shipping industry has such characteristics. Especially the rapid rise of some contemporary countries is inseparable from the development of shipping.

  The foundation of a "powerful country" is the economy, and economic growth is inseparable from trade, and the most important carrier of trade is shipping. The shipping industry has always been at the forefront of the international market and is a barometer of the trend of the international economy. As the main carrier of global trade, shipping is still irreplaceable.

  China's shipping industry originated in the Tang Dynasty, flourished in the Ming Dynasty, and began to decline in the late Qing Dynasty. Modern people with lofty ideals regard revitalizing national shipping as their dream pursuit. Mr. Sun Yat-sen made a special discussion on the development of shipping and harbour in the "National Strategy". After the founding of New China, China's shipping industry began a new pioneer.

  How to make shipping bigger and stronger, the general secretary always keeps in mind.

  On July 21, 2013, General Secretary Xi Jinping went to Wuhan to investigate, and immediately went to the Yangluo container port area of ​​Wuhan Xingang under the rain.

Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Xueren

  General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that the Yangtze River Basin should strengthen cooperation, give full play to the role of inland navigation, develop river-sea intermodal transportation, and turn the entire river basin into a golden waterway.

  On March 29 this year, at a special time to fight against the outbreak of New Coronary Pneumonia, Xi Jinping went to Zhejiang to investigate, and the first stop came to Zhoushan Port in Ningbo. This not only exemplifies his great emphasis on resuming production, but also highlights the important impact of the port on the current economic operation.

  The port is a basic and pivotal facility and an important link in the supply chain and industrial chain. And Ningbo Zhoushan Port has an important position in the national strategy of co-building the "Belt and Road", the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, and the integrated development of the Yangtze River Delta. The first restoration of production here is of great significance to promoting the resumption of production of Chinese enterprises, the restoration of the logistics system, and the restoration of the global industrial chain.

  Coastal ports took the lead in fully resuming production. According to data from the Ministry of Transport, the cargo throughput of ports in the country increased by 4.4% year-on-year in May, and continued to maintain growth in June, effectively promoting my country's economic recovery, restoring the logistics system and maintaining the stability of the international logistics supply chain.

"Haisi" leads the world

  The port is the link of foreign exchange and the starting point and fulcrum of the Maritime Silk Road. How to pry the fulcrum of the port and serve the construction of the “Belt and Road” has always been a key point for General Secretary Xi Jinping's investigation and investigation.

  Two inspections of the port have special meanings. Once in the country and once abroad.

  In April 2017, less than a month before the “Belt and Road” International Cooperation Summit Forum was held, General Secretary Xi Jinping visited the Han Dynasty Cultural Museum and Tieshan Port in Hepu County, Beihai City, Guangxi.

This is Tieshan Port, Beihai, Guangxi, taken by drone on April 16, 2020. Xinhua News Agency reporter Lei Jiaxing photo

  Hepu is the starting point of the ancient Maritime Silk Road on the westernmost coastline of mainland China. It became an important gateway for Chinese and foreign trade more than 2100 years ago.

  In the Hepu Museum, pottery, bronze, gold and silver, crystal agate, and amber turquoise... pieces of local unearthed artifacts have witnessed the history of Hepu as an early port of departure on the Maritime Silk Road.

  At the Tieshan Port terminal, General Secretary Xi Jinping had a cordial conversation with the employees. He emphasized that we often say that if you want to get rich first, you must build roads. He proposed to create a "Xianghai economy" and pointed out that the North Sea has the historical heritage of the ancient Maritime Silk Road. We now have to write a new chapter of the Maritime Silk Road in the new century.

  This is May 7, 2017, COSCO SHIPPING's cargo ship sailed out of the Piraeus Port (Beigang) container terminal. Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Panos Tomadakis)

  In November 2019, during his visit to Greece, President Xi Jinping made a special trip to the port of Piraeus, located about 10 kilometers southwest of Athens, to investigate the leading demonstration project of the Belt and Road Initiative.

  Chairman Xi expressed his praise for the achievements of the construction of Hong Kong in this sentence: "I saw here today that the "Belt and Road" initiative proposed by China is not a slogan and legend, but a successful practice and a wonderful reality."

  President Xi also said to local employees: "You have built Piraeus Port well, which is an important participant and contributor to the joint construction of the "Belt and Road"."

  "Haisi" leads the world, Hong Kong continues a new chapter.

  my country's ports have established route links with more than 600 major ports in more than 200 countries in the world. Ports are writing a new chapter on the Maritime Silk Road as an important fulcrum on the “Belt and Road” initiative.

Create a first-class strong port

  Accelerating the construction of a world-class strong port and better serving the country is an important proposition for building a shipping power in the new period. In response, General Secretary Xi Jinping made deployments on multiple occasions.

  In November 2018, he encouraged Yangshan Port builders to have the ambition and courage to be world-class, to do the best they can and to create more world firsts.

  On January 17, 2019, General Secretary Xi Jinping came to the Tianjin Port Terminal to learn about the port terminal operations and the operation of automation equipment.

This is a view of the Tianjin Port container terminal group photographed by drone on August 8, 2019. Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Ranshe

  General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that he must be ambitious and strive to build a world-class smart port and green port to better serve the coordinated development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei and the joint construction of the “Belt and Road” initiative.

  On March 29, 2020, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized during the inspection of Chuanshan Port Area, Zhoushan Port, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, that we must adhere to first-class standards, build and manage the port well, strive to build a world-class strong port, and make greater contributions to national development.

Xinhua News Agency reporter Shen Hongshe

  According to statistics from the United Nations Council for the Promotion of Trade Development, by weight, maritime trade accounts for 90% of global trade; in terms of commodity value, it accounts for more than 70% of trade.

  At present, China is already a veritable shipping country: the annual shipbuilding capacity reaches 60 million deadweight tons, the world's first; the world's shipping volume accounts for 26%, the world's first; the registered capacity is 180 million deadweight tons, the world's second; the world's top 20 China has 15 ports with large cargo throughput; China has 7 of the world's top 10 container ports.

  my country's shipping routes and service networks are all over the world in major countries and regions. Shipping plays an important role as a bridge and link in the great cause of promoting world economic and trade development and building a community with a shared future for mankind.

  Time is not waiting, just fighting day and night. As endeavors and combatants in the new era, Chinese seafarers are writing a new chapter for the realization of the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and working together to build a community of human destiny.

  Planning: Huo Xiaoguang

  Producer: Che Yuming, Zhao Chao

  Co-ordination: He Yuxin, Du Yu, Wang Min

  Writing: Qi Zhongxi, Wei Yukun

  Vision|Editors: Zhang Huihui, Hao Xiaojing

  Produced by Xinhua News Agency