Silk Road Maritime Forum Opens in Xiamen with Focus on Resilient Cooperation

BEIJING, Sept. 9, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- The 8th Silk Road Maritime International Cooperation Forum kicked off in Xiamen, Fujian Province, China, bringing together over 1,800 representatives from 19 countries and regions to discuss deeper cooperation in key sectors including ports, shipping, logistics, trade, finance, and technology. Organized by the Fujian Provincial Port Group Co., the forum aims to promote higher-standard open cooperation and shared growth in the maritime industry.

Opening ceremonies underscored the importance of international cooperation in the face of geopolitical risks and the green transition. Domestic and foreign officials highlighted the need to strengthen connectivity and embrace the opportunities the Chinese market brings to the world. Gu Jinshan, president of the China Ports and Harbours Association, noted the port industry's strong commitment to serving the real economy and promoting coordinated development. He emphasized the substantial results achieved and the solid foundation laid for China's high-level opening-up and steady economic growth.

Ren Weimin, director of the Transport Division of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, stressed the need to enhance the resilience of maritime connectivity in the Asia-Pacific region to guard against the effects of geopolitical crises and climate change. Zhang Ruosi, a counselor at the World Trade Organization, analyzed the new challenges trade fragmentation poses to shipping and emphasized the importance of open and facilitative trade policies and stronger shipping connectivity.

In the wake of rising geopolitical uncertainty, participants agreed that the development of the Silk Road Maritime must focus on both efficiency and resilience. A major highlight of the forum was the official launch of the Silk Road Maritime Arctic route meteorological routing service, developed by the China Meteorological Administration and the Silk Road Maritime Association. This service uses Fengyun meteorological satellites to provide 15-day daily sea-ice forecasts and polar cyclone monitoring, offering critical decision support for safe navigation in polar waters.

Chen Zhiping, chairperson of the Fujian Provincial Port Group Co., highlighted the company's partnership with the Xiamen meteorological bureau to develop an AI-powered Maritime Silk Road port meteorological risk intelligent agent. The system provides a centralized display of meteorological risks for 58 Chinese and foreign ports, integrating key information such as risk levels, distances from the centers of typhoons, and whether a port is open or closed to shipping. Chen noted that this is the first such system internationally, significantly reducing the cost of coordinated decision-making and enhancing overall port operations.

Addressing the forum, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica Johnson Smith emphasized the critical importance of secure and uninterrupted maritime trade, highlighting China's important role in enhancing international supply chain resilience. She underscored the potential for strong multilateral trade cooperation and Silk Road Maritime-based collaboration to build a more effective, secure, sustainable, and resilient future.

Nigeria’s Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Chris Osa Isokpunwu, stated that the forum’s theme aligns closely with Nigeria’s current economic development direction. He highlighted the potential of the Silk Road Maritime to better connect Nigeria with the global economy, attract more investment, and create sustainable development pathways for the country. Isokpunwu expressed hope to strengthen technical capabilities through Silk Road Maritime cooperation and learn from China’s remarkable development experience.

The forum also saw the launch of the Hunan-Fujian Silk Road Maritime sea-rail intermodal corridor, aiming to connect inland China more efficiently with seaports on the coast. The corridor is expected to open the most convenient export route for central China, reducing logistics costs by 20% to 30% and shortening transport times by five to seven days. Additionally, the forum released the report on the integrated development of ports, shipping, and trade under the Silk Road Maritime Initiative, the blue book on Silk Road Maritime 2025-2026, and the 2026-2028 Silk Road Maritime port-shipping development support policy.

A total of 12 new Silk Road Maritime routes were announced, 15 new members joined the association, and 11 cooperation projects were signed on-site. The forum adopted a new initiative involving nearly 30 representatives of domestic and overseas ports, shipping lines, logistics firms, technology companies, and research institutions. This initiative outlines five areas of cooperation: expanding connectivity networks, deepening the integration of port-shipping-trade resources, advancing digital and smart empowerment, promoting green development, and building a shared ecosystem for prosperity.

The Silk Road Maritime, launched in 2018, has expanded rapidly, connecting 153 sea ports across 50 countries and regions and 393 members from industries including shipping, energy, manufacturing, and the internet. Zhang Jingquan, a professor at the School of International Relations of Jinan University, noted that after years of development, the Silk Road Maritime is expected to provide strong support for high-quality BRI cooperation and the high-quality development of the marine economy.