On March 12, Qian Weizhong, Chairperson of the COSCO SHIPPING Group Hainan Regional Headquarters; Wang Ran, Chairperson of Hainan Harbor and Shipping, and Si Nachao, General Manager, visited Hainan Provincial Department of Transportation for discussions with Mu Kerui, Director-General of the department.

Mu Kerui stated that Hainan Free Trade Port is currently in a critical development phase following the implementation of customs independent operations. The development of a modern, high-quality comprehensive multimodal transportation network is an important support for the free trade port's development, with the port and shipping industry serving as a core hub and key driver for integrating Hainan into the domestic and international dual circulation. The Provincial Department of Transportation will implement the relevant contents of the strategic cooperation agreement between Hainan Province and COSCO SHIPPING Group, consistently adhering to a service philosophy of proactive engagement and precise coordination. The department will provide full support in policy backing, project coordination, and resource guarantees, actively addressing challenges and bottlenecks enterprises face in their development in Hainan, and creating a more favorable and efficient business environment for COSCO SHIPPING's business development in the province, promoting mutually beneficial government-enterprise cooperation.

Qian Weizhong stated that COSCO SHIPPING Group, as an important strategic partner of Hainan, has consistently prioritised the construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port in its development strategy. The group has established a comprehensive business system in Hainan covering port operations, shipping services, logistics supply chains, and the shipping service industry. The Hainan Regional Headquarters, serving as the group's core platform for coordinating resources in Hainan, will fully leverage its role as a service platform for free trade port construction, a platform for executing corporate development strategies, and a platform for expansion into ASEAN markets, further deepening the cooperation with Hainan. The group will continue to intensify its investment in Hainan, accelerate the development of a "passage + hub + network" modern logistics system, promote the green and smart transformation of ports, expand high-end shipping service industries, and actively participate in key initiatives such as improving transportation capacity across the Qiongzhou Strait and promoting integrated port-industry-city development. These efforts aim to fully support the high-quality development of various undertakings in Hainan following the free trade port's customs independent operation and contribute COSCO SHIPPING's strength to Hainan's implementation of national strategies including the "Two Hubs," (the Shipping Hub of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, and the Aviation Hub facing the Pacific and the Indian Ocean) and the "Three Zones and One Centre."

Wang Ran and Si Nachao engaged in in-depth discussions on topics including promoting both effective qualitative improvement and reasonable quantitative growth, strengthening Yangpu Port construction, enhancing service and support capabilities across the Qiongzhou Strait, and collaborating with the government on investment attraction.

The meeting was also attended by Yin Jie, Deputy Director-General of Hainan Provincial Department of Transportation, along with the Chief Engineer, Chief Planner, and relevant officials from the General Office, Water Transportation Division, and Provincial Port and Shipping Administration; Lin Jian, Deputy General Manager of COSCO SHIPPING Group's Hainan Regional Headquarters, along with the Assistant to the General Manager and relevant officials from the Operations Management Division and Executive Division; Relevant personnel from Hainan Strait Shipping Co., Limited.