Core Viewpoint - Qingdao Municipal Government has released a mid-term plan and long-term vision for the construction of the Qingdao International Shipping Center, aiming to enhance shipping services and promote smart and green development in the region [1] Group 1: Company Initiatives - The company, Zhigang Construction (06816), is responding to the Qingdao government's plan by actively participating in investments in shipping logistics and international trade [1] - The company’s controlling shareholder, Qingdao Haifa State-owned Capital Investment and Operation Group Co., Ltd., is committed to creating a collaborative industrial ecosystem focused on shipping, warehousing logistics, international cross-border trade, and supply chain financial services [1] Group 2: Business Development - The group has initiated cross-border trade operations this year, involving the import of raw materials from Indonesia and the export of electronic consumer goods from China [1] - The company plans to expand its procurement and sales network, focusing on exports of smart home appliances and new energy vehicles, while also importing agricultural raw materials and minerals from Southeast Asia and South Asia [1] Group 3: Strategic Positioning - The board believes that the company is well-positioned to capitalize on the opportunities arising from the Qingdao government's plan, which will lead to significant benefits [1] - The company intends to develop targeted strategies in response to the opportunities presented by the new shipping center plan [1]

Core Insights - The report released on July 11 highlights the comprehensive strength of global shipping center cities, with Singapore, London, and Shanghai leading the rankings for 2025 [2] - Qingdao has made significant progress, rising from 15th in 2024 to 13th in 2025, surpassing major Northeast Asian ports like Tokyo and Busan [2][3] - The report indicates that Qingdao's port has impressive "hard power" metrics, ranking fourth in cargo throughput at 710 million tons and fifth in container throughput at 30.87 million TEUs in 2024 [2] Group 1: Qingdao's Achievements - Qingdao's port conditions are ranked second globally due to high container operation efficiency and significant throughput capacity [2] - A major infrastructure project worth approximately 77 billion yuan is underway to enhance port capabilities, focusing on specialized terminals and transportation systems [2] Group 2: National Context - Qingdao's rise is part of a broader trend, with other Chinese ports like Shanghai, Hong Kong, Ningbo-Zhoushan, Guangzhou, and Tianjin also improving their global rankings [3] - Chinese ports now occupy seven positions in the top 20, indicating a shift in the global shipping landscape [3] Group 3: Challenges and Future Plans - Despite its achievements, Qingdao ranks only 16th in shipping service capabilities, highlighting a gap between hard and soft power metrics [5] - The "International Shipping Center Construction Three-Year Action Plan (2024-2026)" outlines 13 key tasks, emphasizing the need to strengthen shipping financial services and enhance maritime legal capabilities [7] - Qingdao aims to achieve a cargo throughput of over 770 million tons and container throughput exceeding 36 million TEUs by 2026, while also focusing on expanding logistics value [7]