China's coastal provinces are trying to become the key hubs along the new "Maritime Silk Road", a national initiative aimed at strengthening cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Fujian is one of the areas that has been actively engaged in developing its ports, particularly the one in Quanzhou, a city recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization as the starting point of the maritime silk road, said Zheng Xincong, mayor of Quanzhou.

With current cargo capacity of more than 1.7 million TEUs, or 20-foot equivalent units, the Quanzhou port has embarked on a large infrastructure development program to increase total capacity.