On June 14, the Cross-Strait Maritime Cultural Exchange Event kicked off in Xiamen. The event gathered more than 220 participants, including shipping professionals, experts, scholars and youth representatives from both sides of the Taiwan Strait. It serves as a comprehensive platform for consolidating cross-strait maritime cultural identity, facilitating collaborative innovation in the shipping industry and enabling in-depth exchanges among maritime talents, further enhancing cross-strait communication, interaction and integration.
During the event, Li Shixin, Executive Vice Chairman of China Institute of Navigation (CIN), delivered a speech titled Carrying Forward Chinese Maritime Heritage and Forging Cross-Strait Maritime Solidarity. Rooted in the millennium-old shared maritime heritage across the Strait, the speech elaborated on the connotation of the maritime spirit in the new era. It introduced the practical efforts of CIN in building regular exchange platforms for cross-strait maritime technological innovation and youth talent development, as well as student assistance programs. Giving full play to its role as a bridge, the Institute consolidates national identity through maritime culture, deepens cross-strait shipping communication and cooperation, and unites industry consensus and strength for integrated maritime development across the Strait.
The event issued a joint initiative. Amid global shipping transformation, maritime practitioners across the Strait are called to join hands: consolidate cultural confidence and inherit maritime heritage to foster patriotism; prioritize safety to safeguard a peaceful strait and deepen collaborative governance; drive industrial growth through maritime resources to boost integrated development and people-to-people bonds; empower young talents to embrace a promising maritime future and nurture future national elites. All participants shall contribute greater strength to accelerating the development of China as a transportation power and a maritime power.
During the event, cross-strait shipping experts conducted in-depth discussions on hot topics including green transformation of the shipping industry, crew education and training, and maritime dispute resolution. Seafarers from both sides also carried out on-site skill exchanges. The Fujian Maritime Safety Administration released five measures to advance high-quality cross-strait shipping development, namely the Five Fuzhou Maritime Initiatives. The measures include improving the cross-strait maritime dispute resolution center, boosting the efficiency of cross-strait maritime passenger and cargo transportation, and promoting integrated governance of shipping operators under the Mini Three Links routes.