Xi Pushes Global Port Alliance Amid Shipping Crises

Chinese President Xi Jinping is promoting a new international port alliance. The plan is part of China's Belt and Road Initiative, a massive global infrastructure project. His comments come as major world shipping routes face severe disruptions. These include tensions in the Strait of Hormuz near Iran and a drought limiting traffic through the Panama Canal. China is the world's largest exporter of goods. An excerpt of Xi's speech was published on Monday. It was originally delivered at a closed-door meeting on July 1, 2025. The text appeared in *Qiushi*, the Communist Party's main theoretical journal. In the speech, Xi stated China must "deeply participate in global ocean governance." He vowed to accelerate the formation of the port alliance to improve global trade flows. The proposed alliance aims to strengthen cooperation between ports along Belt and Road routes. The goal is to create a more stable and efficient maritime network.