First batch of ‘partner ports’ to be revealed at coming Hong Kong Maritime Week Hong Kong will reveal its first batch of “partner ports” at a coming flagship maritime event, the city’s transport and logistics minister has said, after Beijing vowed to consolidate the city’s status as a shipping hub last month. Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan said on Saturday that the first batch of the city’s partner ports in mainland China and countries under the Belt and Road Initiative would be announced during Hong Kong Maritime Week, which will take place from November 16 to 22. “I am deeply grateful for my team’s relentless effort. In the short period of just over a month since the policy address was announced in September, my colleagues have already delivered outstanding results,” Chan said in a blog post. “We will be announcing the first batch of ‘partner ports’ during Hong Kong Maritime Week.” Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu first mentioned the plan to build such partnerships during his policy address this year, saying the arrangement was to prepare for a “green shipping corridor”. The Belt and Road Initiative refers to an ongoing strategic effort by Beijing to link various developing economies into a China-centred trade network, driven by Chinese-backed infrastructure projects abroad. According to Chan, Hong Kong authorities will also invite the Silk Road Maritime Association, comprising 360 members including shipping companies, port authorities and logistics firms, to hold summits during the maritime week. “By partnering and ‘setting sail’ with Hong Kong – the ‘superconnector’ and ‘super value-adder’ – to collectively promote the Belt and Road Initiative shipping brand, the Silk Road Maritime Association and the Hong Kong shipping sector will achieve win-win-win outcomes,” she said. Last month, the Communist Party pledged in its proposals for the 15th five-year plan to consolidate and enhance Hong Kong’s status as an international hub for finance, shipping and trading. Other initiatives in the plan included building Hong Kong into an international innovation and technology hub and “a global hub for high-end international talent”. “These policies were highly aligned with what the Transport and Logistics Bureau has long aimed for, and the Hong Kong Maritime Week will be the best showcase for the city’s status as an international shipping hub,” Chan said. Hong Kong Maritime Week is the city’s flagship shipping event, which is entering its ninth edition this year. The programme will include conferences, summits and activities on various themes, including green shipping, maritime arbitration and the development of the Belt and Road Initiative. Last year’s maritime week attracted a record number of participants, with 18,000 attending the event in person and 6.5 million participating online, Chan said. She added that this year’s event will also include the annual convention of the International Bunker Industry Association, the global body that represents the marine fuel industry. “This reflects that our vision of building Hong Kong into a green marine fuel bunkering hub has been acknowledged by the international community,” she said. https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3332040/first-batch-partner-ports-be-revealed-coming-hong-kong-maritime-week (ICE HONG KONG)

Fonte notizia: South China Morning Post