Inside an exhibition hall at the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, the world's busiest port by cargo throughput, a giant screen pulses with real-time port operations data. A group of visitors could recently be seen watching intently as a digital platform mapped out how smart port technologies were driving efficient management and greener growth.
"This is precisely the standard a global hub should meet," said Douglas Jardine Flint, former group chairman of HSBC. What had impressed him, he said, was not just the physical scale of the port but the powerful digital infrastructure behind it. "This reflects an open, forward-looking China," he added.
On Thursday, the Advisory Council of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation held its 2025 session in the city of Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province. A day earlier, advisory council members from Kenya, Egypt, the United Kingdom and beyond visited the world-class deep-water port in Zhejiang.
The Ningbo-Zhoushan Port is the only port in the world that has handled over 1 billion tonnes of cargo annually for 16 consecutive years. It has more than 200 deep-water berths across 20 port areas stretching 220 kilometers of coastline, with each berth capable of accommodating 10,000-tonne ships.
The port is a golden hub of the Yangtze River Delta and a vital link connecting China with the Middle East, Africa and Europe under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
"I once worked as a transportation engineer and was involved in many port projects in Egypt," said Essam Sharaf, former prime minister of Egypt. "But Ningbo-Zhoushan Port is clearly a more advanced and more important one."
In Sharaf's view, the world economy is increasingly dependent on maritime transportation, and efficient ports are the cornerstone of global trade.
"You can see the dedicated employees, cutting-edge innovation and advanced science here. No wonder it's one of the biggest ports in the world," Erastus J.O. Mwencha, former deputy chairperson of the African Union Commission, said as his gaze swept across the bustling port.
To Mwencha, the port is more than just a logistics hub -- it stands as a symbol of multilateralism.
"One of the goals of the BRI is to advance global cooperation and achieve mutual benefit," he said. "Whether it's ports, highways, regional hubs or air routes, all are key programs of the initiative. These infrastructures don't just connect locations -- they connect development opportunities."
Since the BRI was proposed over a decade ago, port cooperation has remained a key field of connectivity.
China and its partners have worked together to transform critical maritime infrastructure, with projects including the Gwadar Port of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and Greece's Piraeus Port, which is the largest port in the Mediterranean, as well as Lekki Deep Sea Port, which is the first modern deep seaport in Nigeria.
The goal is to achieve not just broader trade routes, but shared development. For many of the advisory council members who traveled to Ningbo, witnessing the scale and sophistication of the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port reaffirmed the possibilities of deepened Belt and Road cooperation.
Sharaf, a long-time observer of international development, called the BRI "one of the most important cooperation platforms in the world today." It carries, he said, "the development hopes of many nations -- and historic significance."
Through partnerships and joint projects, the BRI has "created a global web of connectivity, shared planning and common purpose," Sharaf said. "Under this initiative, we don't impose things but share the benefits."
Mwencha expressed a similar view. "To me, the BRI is itself a port of hope, of progress, of the future," he said with conviction.
Reported by Xinhua (China).
China's national general public budget expenditure rose 4.6 percent year-on-year in the first four months – the fastest spending pace seen since 2020, which is set to stimulate domestic demand and boost recovery momentum, analysts said.
Data released by the Ministry of Finance showed on Tuesday that national general public budget...
China's national general public budget expenditure rose 4.6 percent year-on-year in the first four months – the fastest spending pace seen since 2020, which is set to stimulate domestic demand and boost recovery momentum, analysts said.
Data released by the Ministry of Finance showed on Tuesday that national general public budget...
The domestic market, which was previously a fierce battleground, is now seen as an important alternative for China's massive export-oriented firms looking to mitigate tariff hikes and capitalize on new growth avenues, as the world is faced with rising protectionism, analysts and executives said.
In the fresh produce section of a...
The domestic market, which was previously a fierce battleground, is now seen as an important alternative for China's massive export-oriented firms looking to mitigate tariff hikes and capitalize on new growth avenues, as the world is faced with rising protectionism, analysts and executives said.
In the fresh produce section of a...
Experts lauded China's role in promoting global economic growth and multilateralism at a global finance forum held on the weekend in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen.
"China has long served as an anchor of global economic stability and remains a staunch advocate for multilateralism, economic globalization and trade liberalization," Jiao...
Experts lauded China's role in promoting global economic growth and multilateralism at a global finance forum held on the weekend in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen.
"China has long served as an anchor of global economic stability and remains a staunch advocate for multilateralism, economic globalization and trade liberalization," Jiao...
China's economic performance held steady against external headwinds, including the United States' tariff moves, with industrial production exceeding market expectations in April, data released on Monday showed.
Officials and analysts said that China's economic fundamentals remain solid and the country retains ample policy room and tools to navigate mounting external uncertainties.
With...
China's economic performance held steady against external headwinds, including the United States' tariff moves, with industrial production exceeding market expectations in April, data released on Monday showed.
Officials and analysts said that China's economic fundamentals remain solid and the country retains ample policy room and tools to navigate mounting external uncertainties.
With...
China’s job market remained broadly stable in April 2025, with the surveyed urban unemployment rate falling to 5.1%, down from 5.2% in March, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
In 31 major cities, the urban unemployment rate also dropped by 0.1 percentage points to 5.1%. For January to April,...
China’s job market remained broadly stable in April 2025, with the surveyed urban unemployment rate falling to 5.1%, down from 5.2% in March, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
In 31 major cities, the urban unemployment rate also dropped by 0.1 percentage points to 5.1%. For January to April,...
FESCO Transportation Group has completed the shipment of the first batch of sunflower seeds from the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (China) to Yekaterinburg via Mongolia.
According to SeaNews, the train, loaded with 62 forty-foot containers, departed from the Qisumu rail logistics hub in the city of Ulanqab in late April. The...
FESCO Transportation Group has completed the shipment of the first batch of sunflower seeds from the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region (China) to Yekaterinburg via Mongolia.
According to SeaNews, the train, loaded with 62 forty-foot containers, departed from the Qisumu rail logistics hub in the city of Ulanqab in late April. The...
As part of the Kazakhstan-China Transport Forum held in Astana, the transport ministers of Kazakhstan and China, Marat Karabayev and Liu Wei, met to discuss the development of a multimodal transit corridor connecting Russia, Kazakhstan, and China, which would incorporate inland waterways, according to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Transport.
A key element...
As part of the Kazakhstan-China Transport Forum held in Astana, the transport ministers of Kazakhstan and China, Marat Karabayev and Liu Wei, met to discuss the development of a multimodal transit corridor connecting Russia, Kazakhstan, and China, which would incorporate inland waterways, according to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Transport.
A key element...
Kazakhstan is building a third border crossing with China, an international railway point connecting to the Semey-Aktogay line. According to the Ministry of Transport, the project will be completed by 2027 and commissioned in 2028 at an estimated cost of ₸577.5 billion.
The crossing aims to boost Kazakhstan’s transit potential, stimulate...
Kazakhstan is building a third border crossing with China, an international railway point connecting to the Semey-Aktogay line. According to the Ministry of Transport, the project will be completed by 2027 and commissioned in 2028 at an estimated cost of ₸577.5 billion.
The crossing aims to boost Kazakhstan’s transit potential, stimulate...
Executives of top businesses from Switzerland gathered for a forum in Shanghai on May 15 to share insights on how "Swiss innovation" adapts for growth in China.
Organized by SwissCham Shanghai, the Swiss Business Forum 2025 included panel discussions, an exhibition and an exclusive roundtable discussion between government officials and business...
Executives of top businesses from Switzerland gathered for a forum in Shanghai on May 15 to share insights on how "Swiss innovation" adapts for growth in China.
Organized by SwissCham Shanghai, the Swiss Business Forum 2025 included panel discussions, an exhibition and an exclusive roundtable discussion between government officials and business...
Major progress is expected from the negotiations on the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0, which were concluded substantially in October last year, a Foreign Ministry official has said.
"Good news and big news will soon come," Liang Jianjun, deputy head of the Department of Asian Affairs under the Ministry of Foreign...
Major progress is expected from the negotiations on the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0, which were concluded substantially in October last year, a Foreign Ministry official has said.
"Good news and big news will soon come," Liang Jianjun, deputy head of the Department of Asian Affairs under the Ministry of Foreign...
As a flagship of China-Cambodia cooperation, the Belt and Road Initiative has provided tremendous support for infrastructure projects in Cambodia, transforming the country's development landscape and strengthening regional connectivity.
The initiative's landmark projects such as the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway, the Siem Reap Angkor International Airport, the Sihanoukville Special Economy Zone and...
As a flagship of China-Cambodia cooperation, the Belt and Road Initiative has provided tremendous support for infrastructure projects in Cambodia, transforming the country's development landscape and strengthening regional connectivity.
The initiative's landmark projects such as the Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway, the Siem Reap Angkor International Airport, the Sihanoukville Special Economy Zone and...
China International Capital Corporation, or CICC, one of China's biggest investment banks, on May 15 inaugurated its branch in the International Financial Centre in Dubai, marking a strategic entry into the premier financial hub in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia.
The new branch operates under China International Capital Corporation...
China International Capital Corporation, or CICC, one of China's biggest investment banks, on May 15 inaugurated its branch in the International Financial Centre in Dubai, marking a strategic entry into the premier financial hub in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia.
The new branch operates under China International Capital Corporation...
Colombian president Gustavo Petro formalised his accession during a meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, in Beijing, within the framework of the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC Forum. The two leaders witnessed the signing of a cooperation plan to jointly build the Silk Road Economic Belt and the...
Colombian president Gustavo Petro formalised his accession during a meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, in Beijing, within the framework of the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC Forum. The two leaders witnessed the signing of a cooperation plan to jointly build the Silk Road Economic Belt and the...
Amid the long lines of vehicles in the heart of Conakry, the capital of Guinea, the outline of a yellow-and-white interchange is becoming increasingly visible.
The three-level interchange, built by Power Construction Corporation of China (POWERCHINA), is scheduled to be fully operational by the end of May, marking the end of...
Amid the long lines of vehicles in the heart of Conakry, the capital of Guinea, the outline of a yellow-and-white interchange is becoming increasingly visible.
The three-level interchange, built by Power Construction Corporation of China (POWERCHINA), is scheduled to be fully operational by the end of May, marking the end of...
The steady advancement of the Belt and Road Initiative, coupled with a growing network of bilateral free trade agreements, will unlock fresh potential for trade and investment ties between China and Latin America in the years ahead, said market watchers and exporters on Monday.
As infrastructure connectivity improves under the BRI...
The steady advancement of the Belt and Road Initiative, coupled with a growing network of bilateral free trade agreements, will unlock fresh potential for trade and investment ties between China and Latin America in the years ahead, said market watchers and exporters on Monday.
As infrastructure connectivity improves under the BRI...
