The cooperation will drive harbor-based industries, coastal tourism, featured agriculture and military-civil integrated development, which are all priority sectors in Zhanjiang's efforts to develop into a modern service extension hub for Hainan, local officials said.

Currently, Zhanjiang is improving its bonded logistics center, preparing to upgrade it to a comprehensive bonded zone and applying for incorporating Zhanjiang Port and Donghai Island into the Guangdong Free Trade Zone extensions.

At the same time, Zhanjiang and Hainan have increased the frequency of scheduled liner services, jointly exploring shipping routes to destinations involved in the Belt and Road Initiative.

Government data show 266,000 containers of twenty-feet equivalent units were shipped between Zhanjiang and Hainan in 2019, an increase of 15.7 percent year-on-year.

The two sides' joint efforts also include a plan to create a bulk cargo trade center in Zhanjiang and a strategic cooperation agreement between Zhanjiang Port Group and the Hainan International Energy Exchange.

During an inspection to Zhanjiang by Li Xi, Party secretary of Guangdong, and Ma Xingrui, governor of the province, Li called on Zhanjiang to integrate itself into the development of the Bay Area and the Shenzhen Pilot Demonstration Zone for Socialism with Chinese Characteristics, align itself with the construction of the Hainan Free Trade Port, and advance infrastructure construction, such as highspeed rails, a new airport, expressways and ports.

He also encouraged the city to attract major projects and collaborate with the cities of Maoming and Yangjiang for coordinated development of port-neighboring industrial clusters in the coastal economic belt, in a bid to improve strength and competitiveness.

A car drives onto a vessel at a roll-on roll-off dock at Xuwen Port. LIU JICHENG/FOR CHINA DAILY