The opening of the Chancay Port in Peru has drawn wide attention among local media outlets and been enthusiastically met by the Peruvian people, who believe the landmark project will help better connect countries across the Asia-Pacific region and create more opportunities.
Located some 80 kilometers north of the Peruvian capital Lima, the port was officially opened on Thursday in a special inauguration ceremony attended via video link by Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Peruvian counterpart Dina Boluarte.
At the ceremony, the two heads of state heard reports given by the heads of transportation departments of both countries and watched a video presentation on the project. Representatives at the project site then reported to the two leaders, requesting authorization to commence port operations, before the two presidents gave the order to officially open the much-anticipated port.
The port's inauguration has become a major news story and has received extensive media coverage on the sidelines of the 31st APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting which was held in Lima.
With the port being an important project under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), major media outlets have showcased the great significance of its opening, which is seen as a key progress of APEC economic cooperation.
"The opening of Chancay Port is undoubtedly an important milestone event of the APEC meeting. Under the APEC framework, the port, due to its importance, has aroused the attention of APEC economies from the very beginning. And it also triggered the interests of Peruvian media to cover it," said Luis Morrocho, a communications consultant for Proinversion, a Peruvian private investment promotion agency under the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
"Chancay Port's inauguration is a highlight of this year's APEC meeting. Its opening under the APEC framework enables Peru's favorable port to become renowned throughout the Asia-Pacific region and goods from different economies to greatly meet Peru's market demand," said Cintya Malpartida, a reporter from TV Peru, the flagship public television network of Peruvian state broadcaster, the National Institute of Radio and Television of Peru (IRTP).
"I think there will be more and more [cooperation projects] in the coming years after this visit, also. And this connection [is] now [becoming] more and more between China and Latin America," said Hassan Massoud, a reporter for Al Jazeera.
"With Chancay Port, [Peru] will have more commercial [cooperation], more business [with other countries]. I'm so happy, really," said Andrea Stein, another reporter from TV Peru.
The opening of the port has stirred up discussions among the Peruvian people, with many keeping a close eye on the positive impact it will bring in terms of boosting trade, speeding up the shipment of goods, and creating new job opportunities.
"In school, we often talk about topics related to ports and the economy. We know that the Chancay Port is a smart port, which is beneficial to economic development and transportation, making everything more convenient," said Alexandra Gargia, a Peruvian student.
"We have been following this megaport, and we are very excited about its opening, because it will greatly promote economic and trade exchanges and make Peru a hub for the Latin America. We appreciate the APEC meeting and the port's inauguration, which have brought China and Peru closer together," said Alfredo Suito, a Lima resident.
"The opening of a port means the exchange of people. It promotes not only economic and trade exchanges, but also cultural interaction, as well as understanding of each other's civilizations. I am very interested in this aspect," said Miluska Artica, another Lima resident.
Upon its opening, the port will shorten the one-way shipping time between China and Peru to 23 days, saving more than 20 percent of logistics costs. It will become a new hub port in Latin America, bringing 4.5 billion U.S. dollars in annual revenue and creating over 8,000 direct job opportunities for Peru.
At Thursday's opening ceremony, the leaders of China and Peru underscored the importance of the port and the changes it will bring, as goods from across the Asia-Pacific will converge and transfer there, creating closer connections across the region and delivering more economic opportunities.
"The inauguration of Chancay Port is a historical moment for Peru and all the Peruvians," said Boluarte.
"Let us stand side by side and set out from Chancay Port to work together with the world. Let us sail the ship of China-Peru friendship towards a better future," said Xi.
Chancay Port attracts huge media interest amid anticipation of new opportunities for Asia-Pacific
