Yingkou to aid Northeast China growth

Port area to further opening-up via expanded trade routes

Yingkou, a historic port city in Liaoning province, will take advantage of its well-developed transport networks to support the revitalization of Northeast China.

The city, with its foreign trade history dating back to 1861, has long been a frontier of opening-up in China. In 1985, it was among the first group of coastal cities in China to apply opening-up policies.

Experts from the United Nations Development Programme said the city has the potential to be an international port and distribution center to serve Northeast Asia. It will also become a hub for talent and be known for its prosperous economy.

In recent years, Yingkou has seen an influx of leading companies from countries including Japan, Germany and the United States. It is home to companies such as Coca-Cola, Germany-headquartered lubricant manufacturer Fuchs and China's e-commerce giant Alibaba.

Yingkou is making a name for itself with convenient transport facilities among its investors. Yingkou Port is the second-largest seaport in terms of handling capacity in Liaoning province.

As of the end of 2016, cargo throughput of Yingkou Port reached 352 million metric tons, which ranked eighth in China and 11th in the world, according to local officials.

The port operates routes to more than 150 ports in more than 40 countries and regions. The number of containers handled by the port for sea-rail combined transport ranked first in China in 2016.

Yingkou Port is also one of the busiest ports that links Chinese cities with the Trans-Siberian Railway.

Yingkou, neighboring Dalian, Panjin and Anshan, provides the closest access to the sea for cities in Northeast China. Experts said its location allows it to reap the benefits of key economic zones, for instance the Northeast Asia economic circle, Bohai economic rim circle, Liaoning coastal economic area and Shenyang economic zone.

The Yingkou-Manzhouli-Europe Railway was launched in 2008.Currently, there are 12 rail routes that connect the city with countries such as Russia, Poland, Belarus and Slovakia.

In 2017, the central government approved the establishment of the China (Liaoning) Pilot Free Trade Zone to support further opening-up in Northeast China. Yingkou area is one of three areas in the pilot zone.

The Yingkou area of the Liaoning FTZ is positioned as an international logistics center and a hub for high-end manufacturing and technology. It will strive to be a highland of opening-up in Northeast China and a demonstration zone for institutional innovation and industrial upgrading, according to the local government.

Looking ahead, the city will continue to optimize its business environment through internationalization, enhanced rule of law, trade facilitation, and promoting opening-up.