Shandong Port Group – or SPG -- one of the world's biggest port operators, based in Qingdao city in East China's Shandong province, signed a strategic framework agreement on Feb 20 with Anhui Provincial Port & Shipping Group in Hefei, capital of Anhui province, to build world-class sea ports.

Wang Qingxian, governor of Anhui provincial government, met with a delegation led by SPG Chairman Huo Gaoyuan and SPG General Manager Li Fengli.

Huo and Ding Qingling, chairman of Anhui Provincial Port & Shipping Group Co Ltd, signed the accord.  

"It is hoped that Anhui Provincial Port & Shipping Group can team up with SPG to serve key national strategies, such as the Belt and Road Initiative and the Yangtze River Economic Belt and leverage our respective strengths to step up the implementation of port-related cooperation projects," said Wang during the signing ceremony.

Wang added that the better use of the China's "golden waterway" resource, the Yangtze River, would accelerate their development of world-class seaports.

SPG Chairman Huo Gaoyuan gave a brief introduction about his group's integration reforms, expressing its intention to work closely with the Anhui port group in seizing the national strategic opportunities brought about by the integrated development of Yangtze River Delta and the rise of the region.

Huo said the two companies would achieve common development by complementing each other's strengths and deepening their cooperation.

Meanwhile, Ding said his company would capitalize on the signing ceremony to implement joint projects. They would join hands to serve national strategies and develop world-class seaports, he added.

According to officials, to that end the two will now leverage their respective regional and resource advantages.

They will step up joint efforts in business areas including smart and green port developments, port business, reforms and innovations, as well as people-to-people exchanges.

Officials added that they will work together to provide powerful support for China's economic growth and the stability of the global industrial chain and supply chain.