Foreign logistics companies seek broader opportunities in China

TIANJIN, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Arab logistics businessman Don Kaushalya Wirasinha from the United Arab Emirates was busy engaging with visiting shipowners, logistics firms and freight forwarders in China for three days.

At the third Tianjin International Shipping Industry Expo held from Thursday to Saturday in north China's Tianjin Municipality, Wirasinha, general manager of Dubai-based GSI Global Logistics, saw tremendous potential.

"We expect good business in the future, because now we are meeting so many new Chinese partners and forwarders," Wirasinha said, while adding that he is planning to visit China at least twice every year in pursuit of more business opportunities.

His company, founded in 2009, provides comprehensive international logistics services, including transportation, customs clearance and final delivery, and has business in multiple Chinese port cities, including Tianjin, Shanghai and Ningbo.

"Hardly any country can work without involvement with China, as it exports goods to virtually every country," he said.

China maintained its position as the world's largest port operator by cargo and container throughput in 2024. Its ocean-going fleet continues to expand, with international routes extending farther, according to the China Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry.

The country's logistics sector has also shown robust growth. The index tracking China's logistics market was at 50.6 percent in May, indicating sustained expansion and resilient supply chains, the China Federation of Logistics & Purchasing has revealed.

Eyeing huge business potential in China, many foreign shipping and logistics business insiders like Wirasinha attended the Tianjin expo to seek opportunities.

During the expo, Mikhael Mangopo, director of Indonesian marine surveying firm Geovaruna, moved through the expansive exhibition halls at the expo with keen interest and exchanged business cards with Chinese shipowners and port equipment suppliers.

"Our extensive knowledge of Indonesia's maritime environment positions us to support Chinese companies operating there through professional surveying," he said, adding that he also gained insights into China's advanced shipping expertise, which he planned to share with Indonesia's maritime businesses.

The General Administration of Customs of China has confirmed that the country's foreign trade in goods reached 17.94 trillion yuan (about 2.5 trillion U.S. dollars) in the first five months of 2025 -- up 2.5 percent year on year, while exports grew by 7.2 percent.

Amid geopolitical tensions and protectionist headwinds, China's economy has demonstrated remarkable resilience, supported by its efficient industrial chains, optimized innovation ecosystems and robust supply networks.

Lal Weerasinghe, additional managing director of operations of Sri Lanka Ports Authority, said the authority maintains excellent cooperation not just with Tianjin Port Group but across China, highlighting the emergence of world-class Chinese firms like COSCO Shipping and Chinese global port operators such as China Merchant Group.

Weerasinghe also credited the Belt and Road Initiative for better connecting Sri Lanka to global markets and creating added value.

"China's robust port and shipping economy significantly underpins our links. We anticipate deepening cooperation with Chinese port partners to advance our maritime logistics engagement," he added. ■