Present Tense of Dalian “Dual-Center” Construction

　　——Interview Mr. Cai Li, President of Dalian Port and Entry Bureau

Journalist: In Year 2003, China proposed to build Dalian to be Northeast International Shipping Center, and this year Liaoning Coastal Economic Belt becomes the national strategy, what opportunities these national strategies bring to Dalian? What is relationship between building an international shipping center and renovating Liaoning Coastal Economy Belt? 

Mr. Cai: In July 2009, the State Council approved the planning of building Liaoning Coastal Economic Belt and took it as a national strategy. In Year 2003, the State Council launched to build Dalian to be a Northeast shipping center. Over the past 6 years, Dalian has made rapid progress in building itself to be international shipping center.
　　Dalian’s port throughput is increased from 110 million tons in Year 2003 to 246 million tons in 2009, a 120% increase. The container throughput is increased from 1.3 million TEUs to 4.52 million TEUs, a 240% increase. During the past 6 years, 37.9 billion RMB is invested in port construction, 7 times of the total port investment sum of the past over 50 years from the PRC foundation.   
    This shows that in the past 6 years great changes have taken place in Dalian maritime industry, port building and cargo throughput. Planning of building Liaoning Coastal Economic Belt approved in July this year further increase the requirement to build Dalian to be Northeast Asia Shipping Center. This planning indicates that we should build Dalian to be Northeast Asia shipping center, Northeast Asia logistic center and regional financial center, which is a deepening to the aforementioned international shipping center. 

Journalist: What is the relationship between Northeast Asia international shipping center and logistics center?

Mr. Cai: In my opinion, the two centers are the two sides of one coin, which are mutual promoting and dependent. One cannot exist without the other. Shipping center provides sound base for logistics center, and logistics center means powerful industry support to industry center. Therefore, “Dual center” is a complete concept for Dalian. The two centers are of the equal importance and we should attach great importance to both of them.

Journalist: What advantages Dalian boasts in building itself to be a logistics center in Northeast Asia?

Mr. Cai: I think Dalian has full advantages to become the logistics center in Northeast Asia because we have made sound basis when we tried to build Dalian to be the international shipping center. Generally speaking, there are several points.
    Firstly, we have advantage in location. Dalian Port is the entrance for China Northeast hinterland, Inner Mongolia and Northeast Asia.
    Secondly, we have advantage in infrastructure. Dalian has 198 industry berths, 76 of which are 10 MT berths. In recent years, we have built 300 MT ore terminals, 300 MT oil terminals and 8000MT container terminals. These infrastructures provide sound basis for building Dalian to be the international logistics center. Presently Dalian port can directly reach 300 ports in 60 countries with its routes reaching several continents. Therefore, we have full-fledged infrastructures. In the meantime, Dalian has the bonded area to export cargoes of Northeast China and Inner Mongolia from Dalian Port Entry.   
　　Thirdly, as an international city in Northeast Asia, Dalian also makes rapid development in its airport construction. Last year, Dalian airport’s throughput reaches 8.22 million tons. After the phase-3 construction, Dalian airport will hold 15 million tons of cargoes. In addition, we are building a new airport, which will meet the demands of Dalian shipping industry in the future 30 to 50 years. Besides all of these, Dalian Municipal government attaches great importance to logistics industry and is endeavoring to formulate the development plan and related policies to facilitate the logistics industry before 2020. All these shows that we have good conditions to build Dalian to be a logistics center on the basis of building an international shipping center.

Journalist: Is there some bottlenecks to break through in the process of building Dalian to be the international logistics center?

Mr. Cai: There are three bottlenecks. First, our logistics enterprises are not powerful and large enough. We lack international third-party and fourth-party logistics enterprises. Therefore, it is top priority to introduce and foster international-degree logistics companies.   

   Second, how to facilitate socialization of logistics industries is a key task before us. Now many industries, large or small, still have their own logistics systems. To strengthen logistics industries, we must socialize the logistics industry and separate it from the traditional industry. And we also should designate large-scale and specialized logistics enterprises to operate these separated logistics industry.

   Third, better and effective policies are required. Logistics industry is quite independent and is in great need of support. Whether in policy or in materials we should give it more support. If the three bottlenecks can be broken through, Dalian will accelerate its building of logistics center by leaps and bound.

Journalist: What ‘s Dalian’s next step in building the international logistics center?
Mr. Cai: Dalian Port and Entry Bureau will make effort in four aspects under the leadership of Dalian Municipal Government.
   First, We will formulate Development Planning for Dalian Northeast Asia International Logistics Center as soon as possible. We will promote the building of an international logistics center in terms of layout design, development goal and policies. We aim to build Dalian to be the multimodal center, supply chain center and logistics hub city. We take Shanghai as reference to strive for national support in project investment, taxation reducing. We make efforts to put the Dalian-centered sea-rail transport model taking in the pilot multimodal transports.
　Second, just as I mentioned, we will encourage logistics companies in their socialization.
   Third, we will train more logistics personnel via multi-level and diversified training programs and introduce more overseas personnel. We will encourage high-education institutes cooperate with logistics enterprises in development and utilization of logistics technologies. Thus, we will provide personnel guarantee for building of Dalian international logistics center.
   Fourth, we will further facilitate the logistics infrastructure to strengthen radiation and service scope. We will make full use of Dalian’a advantage as a hub port, facilitate the key infrastructure of Dayaowan rail container central station, plan the construction of comprehensive logistics parks and create a series of internationally standard logistics base. While consolidating the strategy alliance of Dalian and other Northeast cities, we will develop cooperation and communication with east and middle China cities as well as Japan and Korea. These measures play a more important role in facilitating construction of Liaoning Coastal Economic Belt and Northeast China Industry Base.