BEIJING, July 23 (Xinhua) -- July 11 marks the 20th Maritime Day of China and the 619th anniversary of the voyages of Zheng He, the famous Chinese Ming Dynasty navigator.
Zheng He led a fleet of over 20,000 people from Taiping Port in Changle, east China's Fujian Province, to set sail into the ocean on July 11, 1405.
The photo shows the statue of Zheng He by the Minjiang River. (Source: Publicity Department of CPC Changle District Committee)
Located on the southern bank of the Minjiang River estuary in Changle District of Fuzhou, the capital city of Fujian Province, has a winding coastline of nearly 100 kilometers. Meanwhile, it boasts convenient access to both maritime and road transportation, as well as a long-standing tradition of shipbuilding and navigation. Zheng He chose the Taiping Port in Changle as the point of departure for all of his seven ocean voyages.
As the starting point for Zheng He's voyages, Changle not only serves as a shipbuilding and navigation hub, but also has every reason to reach the far ocean and the vast world.
Nurtured by the maritime culture, the people in Changle have high aspirations and are expanding business footprints in the world.
Chen Jianlong, an entrepreneur from Changle has led the Highsun Holding Group (HSCC) in establishing its business presence overseas. By acquiring companies including FIBRANT, Air Liquide, and AKRO, HSCC has made itself a global leader in the caprolactam industry.
Furthermore, Changle has abundant wind energy resources. After several years of efforts, multiple offshore wind turbines have been built in Changle.
Besides the wind power industry, the port logistics sector has also grown. The Songxia Port Area of Fuzhou Port is a national first-class open port and one of the first ports designated for grain import in China. With six berths in operation, the port now has a throughput of 30.13 million tons in 2023.
Changle is stepping up efforts to advance the three-year action plan on the high-quality development of the marine economy, featuring 15 key marine economy projects with a total investment of over 32 billion yuan. (Edited by Yang Linlin with Xinhua Silk Road, linlinyanglyn@163.com)
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