On 11 September 2021, the 2021 Beibu Gulf International Gateway Port Cooperation Summit of New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor & China-ASEAN Port Cities Cooperation Network Forum, co-hosted by the People's Government of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the Ministry of Transport of China and the China COSCO Shipping Corporation Limited, was held in Nanning.

Mr. Zhao Chongjiu, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Transport of China, Mr. Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong, Minister of Transport of Malaysia, and Mr. Chayatan Phromsorn, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transport of Thailand, delivered remarks via video. Mr. Liu Xiaoming, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Guangxi Committee, Mr. Zhou Hongbo, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Hainan Committee and Secretary of the CPC Sanya Municipal Committee, attended and addressed the forum. Representatives of the Consulates General of Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Singapore, Viet Nam and other ASEAN Member States (AMS) in Nanning and Guangzhou, and Mr. Guo Chuanwei, Director of the Trade and Investment Division of the ASEAN-China Centre (ACC), attended the forum upon invitation. Around 200 representatives from Chinese central and local governments, international organizations, business associations, financial institutions and enterprises joined the event on site.

Government officials and entrepreneurs from transport, port and logistics sectors of ASEAN and China discussed new opportunities, ideas and models around the themes of “jointly developing the new international land-sea trade corridors for sharing opportunities” and “promoting high-quality construction of Beibu Gulf international gateway port for common progress”.

As one of the high-level forums during the 18th China-ASEAN Expo, the forum was held both online and offline under the theme of “Jointly Building Beibu Gulf International Gateway Port, Opening up New prospects for China-ASEAN Port Corporation in the New Era”. The forum aimed at speeding up the building of the Beibu Gulf International Gateway Port and deepening cooperation for mutual benefits and common development in fields such as trade, investment, shipping network, logistics system, port-centered industry and finance .

 The 14th Five-Year Plan Strategic Cooperation Agreement between the People's Government of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and China COSCO Shipping Corporation Limited, the Initiative of ASEAN-China Multimodal Transport Alliance and a number of major projects were released at the forum. The unveiling of ASEAN-China Multimodal Transport Service Centre, the maiden voyage ceremony of "Qinzhou Port - Chittagong Port" South Asia Channel of China COSCO Shipping Corporation, as well as the signing ceremony of related projects were also held during the forum.

(Photo source: Guangxi Cloud)