Australia's Flinders Ports becomes Xiamen's 13th sister port

A photo taken on Dec 18, 2016 shows a cargo ship loading containers at the Haicang port in Xiamen, Fujian province. [Photo by Wei Peiquan/Xinhua]

Xiamen Port in Fujian province signed a Memorandum of Sister Ports Cooperation with Australia's Flinders Ports on Sept 22, bringing the total number of the southeastern coastal city's sister ports around the world to 13.

One of China's major ports and shipping centers, Xiamen Port was ranked the world's 15th largest container port in 2016.

Flinders Ports is South Australia's leading port operator with seven ports. In 2010, the two ports signed a Letter of Intent on Cooperation. The new deal will bring the ties between the two ports to a new level.

South Australia is a long-standing favorite among wine lovers for its internationally renowned red wine. The region is rich in minerals and a big supplier of lumber and stones.

The Xiamen Port processes the largest amount of imported stones and the third largest amount of imported wine in China.

With the amount of imported lumber processed in Xiamen on the rise and the founding of an international wine exchange in the city, the Port of Xiamen and Flinders Ports share mutual benefits in strengthening cooperation.

Under the memorandum, the two sides will work together and conduct exchanges on freight shipping, the cruise industry, port reform, staff training and academic exchange. They will also tap into market demand and open new cruise and shipping lines.

The move displays Xiamen's determination to expand its collaboration with countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative and its ambition to establish the city as a global shipping hub.

So far, the Port of Xiamen has forged 13 sister port ties with ports from countries including the United States, Germany, Spain, Ukraine, South Korea, Belgium and Malaysia.