Soon after the Opinions of the State Council on Expediting the Development of Modern Service Industry and Advanced Manufacturing Industry as well as Construction of an International Financial Center and an International Shipping Center in Shanghai (Opinions) was reviewed and approved in principle at the executive meeting of the State Council on March 25, 2009, SISI held the Seminar on “Development Path for SISI under New Situation" the next day (March 26), leading to heated discussions on the gist of the Opinions.

According to Xu Bozhang, former Director of Shanghai Leading Group Office of Shanghai International Shipping Center, the State Council has formulated essential policies for Shanghai, so it is now imperative for Shanghai to explore ways to implement the policies, especially those in relation to the shipping center. There are three main problems to be solved. The first is the leadership structure and mechanism for the construction of the shipping center. We require powerful departments to organize and coordinate the implementation of related policies. Second, upon removal of any problems related to deep-water ports of the international shipping center, we need to figure out the next-to-be-solved problems in an earnest way. We are facing a series of new problems in collecting, dispatching and shipping, serious road traffic congestion, as well as a lack of dedicated channels for container transport. Third, after establishment, SISI shall conduct in-depth researches on hot and thorny issues.

Former Director Xu Peixing of Shanghai Port Authority held that, the Opinions is of epoch-making significance for Shanghai, playing a vital role in its transformation. On this occasion of another round of construction for the international shipping center, Shanghai shall give serious thoughts on the implementation of the Opinions. Firstly, we should find ways to integrate the resources within the entire Shanghai. For example, the functional orientation of the North Bund, Lujiazui and Lingang New City shall be distinguishable from each other, so as to avoid senseless competitions if adopting the same orientation. Secondly, we need to probe into ways to implement these policies, so as to establish and perfect the shipping service market. Hindered by many objective factors in the recent two years, Shanghai has lagged behind other cities in terms of enthusiasm, unity and thoughts, featuring a lack of individual thoughts and the concept of developing Shanghai into an international city. These favorable policies can only function if implemented properly by people and institutional mechanisms. We should set up a forward-looking plan for the next 20 years or even longer, laying out the development of Shanghai International Shipping Center after further studies. With comparative advantages, it is feasible for Shanghai to build a financial center and a shipping center, but we can never ignore its weakness in international management proficiency, international management pattern and international talent-gathering approach. Leaders should attach great importance to these issues to appoint a special department to coordinate and integrate resources related to shipping development, so as to guide the implementation of policies issued by the State Council.

Some issues remain rather vague, such as the positioning of Shanghai Shipping Exchange. As pointed out by Xu Peixing, Shanghai Shipping Exchange shall be positioned as a window to the Government and a gathering center of shipping information. The implementation of those policies in Shanghai rests on improved informationization and integration of information from various sources onto a single platform, reaching similar proficiency to that of Singapore.

According to Gan Guande, former Deputy Director of Shanghai Urban Transport Bureau and Executive Vice President of Shanghai Transportation Trade Association, the Opinions of the State Council is a powerhouse for the second-round construction of Shanghai International Shipping Center. With noticeable achievements, Shanghai International Shipping Center has secured a place in the global arena; but there is still a long way to go before it becomes truly international. After voluminous studies in recent years, the construction direction of Shanghai International Shipping Center has finally been clearly defined. It requires a leading and coordinating body to deal with various issues including transportation, taxation, trading and information, since the new-round construction of the shipping center could never be effectively promoted if without a comprehensive coordination mechanism. Beside, a comprehensive action plan should also be developed. Gan Guande pointed out that although these policies were issued by the State Council, the construction still relies on the strength of the Ministry of Transport to form a linkage between the Ministry and the City.

Song Bingzhang, former Director of the Register of Fishing Vessel of Shanghai, said that the construction of Shanghai International Shipping Center has been proposed for a long time, but there is not yet a single standard or criterion defining to what extent the Center should be called “completed”. We have been comparing it with other international shipping centers in the world for many years, but no satisfying conclusion has been reached yet. There is no strict criterion internationally, but we can set our own standard based on the actual conditions and by referring to the development of our international counterparts. Only in that way can the government figure out the objective for each aspect, the input required, and the work to be highlighted. That’s exactly what SISI should strive for. Song Bingzhang also pointed out that, it should be clearly understood that the construction of Shanghai International Shipping Center needs the supports from the entire city and even from the Yangtze River Delta. For example, how does Shanghai Shipping Exchange develop when it is impossible to force other companies to trade there?

As stated by Zong Beihua, Professor and Doctorial Supervisor of Shanghai Maritime University, there are many institutions engaging in shipping-center related researches in Shanghai, so their research resources should be integrated together. We encourage differences among research results and look forward to hearing different views on the same issue. Therefore, SISI shall play a positive role in integrating various views, so as to provide supports for government decision-making.
Song Dechi, Professor of Shanghai Maritime University, held that the policy issued by the Central Government is of great significance for Shanghai which should seize this opportunity to implement the specific policies. We should, first of all, avail ourselves of a deeper understanding of the policy positioning of Shanghai as a metropolis and an awareness of its leading role. We must recognize the key to serving the Yangtze River Delta lies in the building of international shipping center, and it is just about time to do it. It is important for the international shipping center to serve as a distribution center of global shipping resources. There is one thing for Shanghai’s practitioners to ponder on, that is, how to distribute global shipping resources in an effective manner. The construction of the international financial center is very much linked with the shipping industry. Therefore, we need to take full advantage of the construction of financial center so as to support the shipping center. As for the construction of the trade center, the shipping center provides a guarantee for the construction of the trade center. It is therefore important for SISI to find ways to promote facilitation and informationization, and increase the added value.

Miao Changbao, former Deputy Director of Shanghai Port Authority and Vice President of Shanghai Port Trade Association, said that the purpose of building the shipping center is to better serve the development of Shanghai. The construction of so many terminals should facilitate researches on port logistics, which is a very important view on the third generation ports. The construction of the international shipping center is partly around the construction of port logistics industry. We should take full advantage of the bonded area to develop a re-export area based on the shipping center, so as to actively develop advanced manufacturing and equipment industries. In that way, we can drive the development of the underdeveloped areas around the A30 road on both sides of which the equipment industry will be developed. The information of the bonded port area, logistics, customs, border inspection and ports shall be integrated together. Meanwhile, the respective responsibilities in related government sectors should be clarified in order to jointly promote the construction of the shipping center.

Gu Zhenxing, former Deputy Director of Shanghai Customs and President of Shanghai Customs Society, said that the Opinions passed by the State Council unveil a favorable development opportunity for Shanghai which has placed huge efforts into the construction of the shipping center. With the proposed 10-year objectives, the next step is to define our priorities and criteria for building the two centers in the next decade. At present, there are many information systems in relation to Shanghai's shipping industry. Though having contributed a lot, these information systems are rather scattered, so we should find ways to integrate and gradually perfect them.

Zhang Yunlong, former Director of Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration and Executive Vice President of Shanghai Ports Federation, said that in microscopic terms, there were a lot of discussions and views earlier about the shipping center bottlenecks. With a view to developing modern shipping services, we should make clear of our tasks, conducting researches on frameworks, standards and systems, such as ship financing, insurance, arbitration, ship trading and freight index. SISI may work out a feasible program for everyone to implement. The second thought is about the functions of Shanghai Shipping Exchange which is also confused about their tasks and policy supports from the government. Taking the ship trading for example, we might well request any deals to be accepted by the maritime authorities or receive tax concessions from the government only after going through necessary procedures at the Exchange. Thirdly, the construction of Shanghai shipping center needs a port environment, a good clearance policy and a sound clearance atmosphere. There is only one single declaration form to be filed in other countries, but three in China. We may launch a pilot project in Shanghai, making it possible to file a single declaration form to two authorities. Since the Central Government has given priorities to the development of Shanghai International Shipping Center, we are now expecting supportive policies to be issued.

Cai Meiyi, former Deputy Director of Shanghai Port Authority, said that we should develop a profound and thorough understanding of the meaning and gist of the policy issued by the Central Government. As the title suggests, it aims to promote Shanghai rather than Shanghai area. It also mentions the integration of port resources of the Yangtze River Delta. Therefore, we must thoroughly understand the gist of the Opinions. The main guidelines of the Central policy have been established, and now is the time for Shanghai to find ways to implement them. As for the implementation of the policy, we should first make clear whether institutions and mechanisms are playing a primary role. Secondly, the construction of the shipping center is planned to be completed in 2020, then we should clarify the standard of completion. Thirdly, no matter building financial center, trade center or shipping center, building one does not mean putting the other two aside. In fact, there are interactions between the shipping center and the financial and trade centers. There are issues that cannot be solved by building the shipping center alone; the construction of it will be further promoted by the construction of the other two. Therefore, we should adequately link up the three centers with each other.

During discussions, senior leaders and professors expressed great expectations for the role SISI is about to play in the new-round construction of the shipping center. They held that SISI shall function as the brains of the Shanghai Municipal Government in building the shipping center, and shall conduct in-depth researches and provide policy foundations for the implementation of the Opinions.

Note: the above speeches have not been verified by the speakers and any reproduction of them is not allowed without permission of the said speakers.