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Good morning everyone, welcome to the beautiful Meishan Port Area of Ningbo- Zhoushan Port, to our dialogue on sustainability and development, strengthening cooperation and ties in an era of global trade uncertainty, and strengthening this cooperation between port cities. My name is Michael Wong. I represent China Global Television Network, or CGTN. Let me first say what an honor it is to have the majestic port of Ningbo-Zhoushan as the backdrop for our conversation. I think it's incredibly beautiful, and it's a great day to have this conversation. Our conversation will be structured as follows
: we will divide the discussion into two parts. In the first part, we will talk about how we can strengthen the resilience of port cities in an era of global trade uncertainty, and in the second part, we will discuss ways to promote the sustainable development of port cities. Before we get started, I want to hear your first impressions and quick reactions from our international friends. So let me start with Councilor Abeiku. I'll start with you, since we just got some introductory information about the port. You have just seen this port with your own eyes, albeit briefly, but share your first impressions of the Ningbo- Zhoushan port, or at least the Meishan area where we are now.
I saw that it was a huge port. We have made sure that this is the most modern port in the world. We also saw all these trucks and very flat roads. And we also saw driverless trucks. All this made a very deep impression on us We also sincerely hope to see the same example in the port of Cotonou. We saw how automation works. We have seen automation progress here for our port city. We are also expanding our port and at the same time making every effort to transform it. So this is a very good example for us to follow. We would like to take this opportunity to share our experience with Ningbo. So, my first impression is that we saw the
port operating more efficiently. We saw a lot of goods and the huge cargo turnover of the port. In my opinion, this is the most advanced, modern, and efficient port in the world. We have seen many innovations in port management. This is also where Ningbo-Zhoushan Port shows great advantage. Here, at the port of Ningbo-Zhoushan, there are many unmanned container ships operating. Of course, many of the cranes in this port are automated, they can raise and lower with high precision. A little more background information about Ningbo-Zhoushan Port before we start our conversation. Of course, this port has been ranked first in the world in terms of cargo turnover for 17 years in a row.
So, from these shores, you can reach about 700 ports in over 200 countries and regions of the world via 300 shipping routes. This gives you an idea of the scale of the Ningbo-Zhoushan port connection, which is simply incredible. We know that ports are often called barometers of the global economy, but in the world we face trade tensions, geopolitical uncertainty and climate risks . I believe that ports should do more than just move cargo. Of course, this is also extremely important. They must support the functioning of global supply chains, because inside every ship, every container, lies the economic lifeblood of people, families,
businesses, and entire economies. Therefore, it is vital, vital, vitally important. So, let's begin our conversation. How can port cities maintain such resilience in this era of uncertainty Vice Mayor Yu, let me address you , as Ningbo-Zhoushan Port has maintained its leading position in the world in terms of cargo turnover for nearly two decades. Despite significant geopolitical, economic, and trade turbulence. So how do you think Ningbo has managed to maintain this resilience? Is it about the development of the port itself? Is it also about building partnerships and cooperation with partner ports?
Here I want to present data on two statistical indicators. First, for 17 years, the cargo turnover of Ningbo-Zhoushan Port has exceeded 1.4 billion tons. And we have been in first place for 17 years in a row. We also handle over 14 million containers per year. Last year, the total container throughput exceeded 33 million. So, to maintain this resilience, I believe there are three aspects at the core. First, this should be attributed to China's national policy of opening up to the world. From joining the WTO to our Belt and Road Initiative and the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind, China has been opening up to the world.
China relies on the largest and most advanced manufacturing system, so our import and export of goods has ranked first for many consecutive years And Ningbo is taking responsibility in this regard within the framework of the Yangtze River Delta Initiative and Economic Belt, playing its important role. Through all these strategies, Ningbo has received support within this policy for the further development of Ningbo- Zhoushan Port. Secondly, Ningbo has its own advantage due to its location. Here, as you can see, we are located on the coast of China. This is also the place where the Yangtze River flows into the sea.
We are entering the main overseas route of the Pacific Ocean. We are also addressing the deep regions of China's economy. Our deep-water port routes have a depth of 22.5 meters. Thanks to these advantages, we connect the hinterland with the sea, connecting with the world And that's why we can compete in the world. Third, port professionals have tried to demonstrate resilience throughout these decades. They tried to rebuild it and establish a connection with the world. First of all, we are building a port. Starting from the 1980s, we have spent several decades
developing the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port. We tried to build this port even despite the uncertainties. You can see driverless trucks. We can also see a system of digital twins. All of these systems help us withstand floods, typhoons, and weather uncertainties. So I think it's good luck bestowed by Ningbo. And most importantly, I believe connectivity will be a top priority. Connectivity is very important as we are already connected to many countries with over 300 routes. And these routes connect us to each other.
This year we opened a new route to the North Pole. This will help to reduce travel time. We are also doing everything we can to connect with the sea route. In addition, we are deepening cooperation to expand our routes and trying to share data with other countries. Councilor Abidik, let me address you. Cotonou is, of course, a very important gateway not only for Benin itself, but also for many of your landlocked neighbors in West Africa. We are seeing an increase in trade between Asia and West Africa, and Africa in general. What do you see as the biggest challenges currently to supporting trade and the movement of goods between our two regions? And how do you think collaboration between
ports like here in Cotonou, as well as with Port Klang, can help make global supply chains more sustainable? We are also seeing very serious political problems. For example, we have certain conflicts with our neighbors. Therefore, we are trying to integrate our economy into the world economy. We face challenges, but I believe that political issues should be separated from economic ones. This separation can make our people and our port more resilient. Mr. Tung, let me ask you about your operational experience, as this is such a large and complex port.
I'm curious to know from a port operator's perspective: how do you deal with resilience or how do you strengthen it when disruptions occur? Disruptions can range from congestion and rising uncertainty in global trade to climate risks . How do you actually build resilience in the face of all this? First, we need to develop more alternative routes. The most typical example is this year, when the US and Israel faced conflicts and the Strait of Hormuz was closed. So it affected us too. And later, with regard to the Gulf of Oman, we tried to continue to facilitate trade along the Persian Gulf. And now we have already recovered to 70% of our original routes. Also last year we tried to expand a new route through the North Pole. This
way, we don't need to go through the Suez Canal. We are building a new path. And this year, with no ice at the North Pole, we are diversifying routes to further strengthen our supply chain. Secondly, through automation and digitalization, we are strengthening the port's operations. This makes the arrival of all ships at ports more organized in the event of congestion. In addition, we will have a special plan for the port. We can make ships arrive at the port on different schedules. Thirdly, we are trying to establish connections with different destinations.
We must ensure that ships arrive at the port on time so that there are no conflicts between different vessels. And the terminal can operate with high efficiency. This is how we maintain the normal operation of the supply chain. I think the main takeaway from this conversation is this: our port cities may differ in size, geography, and stages of development, but we have a lot in common when it comes to the challenges we face. And I think the central theme of this discussion is that to build resilience, we can't build walls, right? Maybe we can build a breakwater to protect against tides and strong waves, but we need more connectivity and cooperation between port
cities. And I hope this dialogue will contribute to greater shared prosperity and partnership in the future. So, thank you to all of our guests, and thank you for joining us in this dialogue today.
