Synposium on Construction of Polar Silk Road Opened

As one of the key international forums of WTC in 2018, "International Cooperation on the Constraction of Polar Silk Road" was held at the CNCC on the afternoon of June 19. The forum was hosted by CIN, and co-hosted by COSCO, CSS and Beijing Highlander Data Technology Co.,Ltd.. Some experts and leaders were invited to attend the forum, including Zhu Yingfu, academician from the CSIC 701 institute, Song Jiahui, former Security Director of the Ministry of Transport, Li Shixin, Deputy Director of the MSA from MOT, Ma Xinmin, Deputy Director of the Department of Treaty and Law of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Jin Yongxing, Party Secretary of Shanghai Maritime University.

With "Aspiration on International Cooperation of Polar Silk Road" as its theme, the forum was divided into three aspects: policy and cooperation, ports and cities, and navigation and equipment. More than ten experts and scholars from government, universities, research institutes and shipping companies including Zhu Yingfu, the academician, Ma Xinmin, the deputy director, Kuzminykh Alexey, officer from the Russian Embassy in China, Liu Lei, from NGCN of MOT, Felix H. Tschudi, Chairman of Tschudi Group and Party Secretary of SMU Jin Yongxing, etc., delivereed keynote speeches at the forum. Those speeches have drawn a number of audiences.

 

The Scene of the Meeting

Cao Di, Executive Vice Chairman of the CIN, said in his speech that as an academic social group in the maritime field and with the principle of establishing academic exchange platforms and promoting research across disciplines, CIN has organized representatives from all parties to participate in the research and discussion on the social issues, promoted further cooperation among those parties, and jointly made suggestions for the multi-channel and all-round construction of the "Belt and Road Initiative" in the field of Arctic routes.

Executive Vice Chairman Cao Di delivered a speech in the forum

 Zhu Yingfu said in his speech that the "Polar Silk Road" is rich in content and covers all aspects of Arctic activities. It was meaningful and forward-looking for CIN to hold the forum during the period of World Transport Convention. Due to the conditions of weak coastal port infrastructure, less academic research exchanges, and the adverse natural environment such as the Arctic climate, complex sea ice and high latitudes, the "Polar Silk Road" initiative calls for the joint efforts from international community to deal with global issues in Arctic, such as climate change and sea ice melting, to promote regional economic cooperation by advancing the commercial operation of the Arctic routes, to vigorously promote the establishment of the legal mechanism and scientific protection system, and to contribute to the peace, stability and sustainable development of the Arctic.

Academician Zhu Yingfu delivered a speech in the forum

Ma Xinmin and Kuzminykh Alexey respectively introduced the China Arctic Policy and the prospects of cooperation between Russia and China in utilizing the North Sea Channel from the perspective of the Chinese and Russian governments. Experts from universities and institutes such as Renmin University of China, Dalian Maritime University, Harbin Engineering University, Shanghai Maritime University, and China Classification Society respectively introduced progress of researches on cryogenic material, ship maneuvering, polar navigation, and economic cooperation along the routes.

As the initiator and moderator of the forum, Cai Meijiang, Deputy General Manager of COSCO Specialized Carriers Co., Ltd. said that the forum is to continuously deepen international cooperation, further strengthen the construction of Arctic routes, expand cooperation in polar scientific research, and further promote the trade among near-Arctic states and the construction of ports and cities along the routes,  so that the polar regions will be better protected and better serve all humanity.

(Source: the Academic Exchange Department  Liu Ying)