2015-04-20

On April 20th, 2015, in the companionship of Mr. Giorgio Casadei, Senior Advisor of the Commission and Mme Giada WU Wenci, Director of Italian Liaison Office of the Commission, Mr. ZHANG Yi conducted the field investigation on the port of Venice and held the business meeting with Venice Port Authority. 

The Business Meeting between the Commission and Venice Port Authority

Mr. ZHANG Yi is listening to the report on the development of Marghera Port, the component of Venice.

   Mr. ZHANG Yi and his companions firstly arrived in Marghera Port and carried out the field investigation with Mr. TommasoSantini, the Asset Director of CondotteImmobiliare Company as the guide. Marghera Port is on the land that is separated from Venice Island itself by sea and connected with each other by the trans-sea bridge. Marghera Port is the component of the Port Region of Venice. CondotteImmobiliare Company is the subsidiary company of Italian Water Pipes Company (SocietàItaliana per Condotted'AcquaSpA), which was founded in 1880. CondotteImmobiliare Company is in charge of the related real estate development of Marghera Port. Now, the Company is undertaking the construction of Aquatic House of Expo Venice 2015. 

Aquatic House of Expo Venice

Mr. ZHANG Yi and Mr. TommasoSantini at the Meeting

Mr. ZHANG Yi came to the construction site of Aquatic House and got to know the progress of the construction and its future operation plan. In the temporary office of Aquatic House, Mr. TommasoSantini presented in details the series of the development project of CondotteImmobiliare Company in Marghera Port to Mr. ZHANG. The Project entitled as Venice Waterfront is the comprehensive one whose aim is to build the multipurpose real estate complex of the new waterfront on Venetian mainland. This project that is expected to be completed within four years from 2015 to 2019 covers the area of 80 thousand square meters with exhibition, hotel, shopping, management and research facilities.

After the presentation of the related work, Mr. ZHANG Yi remarked, the Commission recognized the good commercial opportunity brought along with the development of MargheraPort; Chinese enterprises that were determined to be internationalized would be willing to participate in the related development in line with their actual situation and need. The Commission would organize and coordinate Chinese enterprises to have a better understanding of Marghera Port in the hope of facilitating Chinese enterprises to settle down in the region and carrying out the joint cooperation.

Later, Mr. ZHANG Yi and his companions paid a visit to Venice Port Authority and held the meeting with Professor Paolo Costa, President and other officials of Venice Port Authority. Professor Paolo Costa extended his welcome to the visiting of the delegation and made a presentation concerning the issue of Venice Port and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. 

Mr. ZHANG Yi and Professor Paolo Costa

In order to cope with the future opportunity of the development and the ensuing challenges, Venice Port, the world-famous port is actively engaged in the construction of the new facility, namely, the offshore terminal to the container and energy products. The Authority is advancing the work of upgrading the facilities of the ports and constantly improving the capability of managing the port affairs. Professor Paolo Costa introduced the unique advantages of Venice Port in details and the related strategic deployment which was adopted by the Authority in order to keep its vanguard position in the future global competition.

Mr. ZHANG Yi remarked, he was greatly impressed by the current situation and the future planning of Venice Port and was very glad to see that the Port Authority with a long history and great fame in the world could swim with the tides with the intention to seize the chance that was brought along the construction of the Belt and Road in China. The Commission was willing to capitalize on its social resources in China and recommend the related projects of Venice Port to Chinese enterprises. 

Professor Paolo Costa expressed his thanks to Mr. ZHANG’s recognition of the work of the Authority and indicated his willingness to promote the friendly cooperation of all varieties between Italy and China through the specific projects, while the role as the strategic port in the belly region of Europe was played to the full. Because of the uniqueness of Venice Port, the Authority intended to add the functional zones for the creative industry and scientific incubation and attract green high-tech enterprises to settle down in the Port, while the traditional port affairs were gradually being improved. All of these would lay the foundation for the long-term development of the Port. Venice Port Authority expected the related Chinese enterprises to settle down here and gradually grow up on the reliance of the strengths of Venice in the field of industrial design and scientific innovation.

Mr. ZHANG Yi appreciated the vision of Professor Paolo Costa and offered to invite him to attend the international forum held by the Commission on the topic of building core areas of the Belt and Road, in which Professor Paolo Costa could introduce the experiences accumulated over the years by the Authority to the attendants and seek the opportunity of future cooperation. Professor Paolo Costa gladly received the invitation and expressed his willingness of participate in the work of building the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road through the concrete projects.

The meeting concluded amid the friendly atmosphere. 

Mr. ZHANG Yi and Mr. Giorgio Casadei

April 20th was the last day of Mr. ZHANG’s stay in Italy. On that night, Mr. ZHANG Yi bid farewell to Mr. Giorgio Casadei, the devoted friend of many years.