Mayor of Dalian says openness in city's genes

Photo taken on March 1, 2024, shows a container vessel docking at the Dalian container terminal in Jinpu New Area of Dalian, Liaoning province. [Photo by Yang Jingxiu/For China Daily]

With Dalian Jinpu New Area, China's 10th State-level new area, the Dalian Area of the China (Liaoning) Pilot Free Trade Zone, the RCEP(Dalian) International Business District, Dalian High-Tech Industrial Zone and many other high-level platforms for openness, Dalian is one of the sub-provincial cities with the largest number of and the most comprehensive functional areas for openness.

Dalian Port is connected to more than 300 ports in over 160 countries and regions, with container shipping routes reaching all major ports in RCEP member countries.

The city is accelerating the building of an international shipping, logistics and regional finance hub in Northeast Asia.

"Dalian has superior geographical conditions, profound opening deposits and broad development prospects," Chen said.

Just before this year's two sessions, Chen led an economic and trade delegation from Dalian to France, Italy and Japan, where they visited top companies and related leading enterprises, conducted six extensive investment promotion seminars, and reached 40 agreements and memorandums of understanding on deepening strategic cooperation.

"Business people we met believe that the prospects for Chinese modernization are broad and the revitalization of Northeast China is facing major opportunities, and expressed their willingness to continue to increase investment in Liaoning province and Dalian," Chen said.