"Historical experience and lessons in the past 20 years since Beihai was listed as a city that adopted opening-up policy in China shows Beihai must take the road of industrialization if it wants to make breakthroughs in development," said Xie Xiaolin, vice magistrate of the Tieshan Port District of Beihai.

Beihai is a famous tourism city in China and was listed one of the 14 coastal cities that adopted opening-up policy by the State Council in 1984. But its development was sluggish, or even stopped for some time due to various reasons in history. As from 2003, the city began to deal with the halted or delayed construction projects and gradually moved onto the track of robust development.

According to strategy proposed by Mayor Tang Chengliang in Beihai's Report of Government Works in 2005, Beihai will endeavor to develop grand industry at the Tieshan Port.

The development of industry at the Tieshan Port will accelerate development of tourism, commerce and culture in Beihai by providing necessary financial support for the city construction. Meanwhile the superior environment of Beihai, the backyard of the Tieshan Port, will back development of third industry at the Tieshan Port Industrial Zone. The division of works and cooperation between Beihai city and the Tieshan Port will make Beihai the most beautiful and competitive city in the South China Sea region.

According to Xie, the Tieshan Port should act as "two bases" and "one center", namely the strategic energy reserve base and production base of building materials in Southwest China, and modern logistic center that faces the ASEAN countries and Southwest China.

Taking service to logistics at the Port as core business, the Tieshan Port will pull development of other ports in Guangxi. Backed by construction of the Port and two bases, the logistic center will promote development of the Port and the bases. In this way a modern Tieshan Port capable of serving the economic growth in Guangxin and Southwest China will be formed.

By People's Daily Online