On the afternoon of October 29, the fifth mayors conference of the Huai River Ecological Economic Belt Cities was held in Yancheng, gathering officials from 29 cities (counties) across five provinces along the Huai River to cherish the deep friendship of the Huai River and plan for development cooperation.

Zhang Mingkang, in his speech, warmly welcomed and sincerely thanked the guests attending the conference on behalf of the CPC Yancheng Municipal Committee and the Municipal Government, and introduced the city. He stated that Yancheng will work with brother cities along the Huai River to improve the regional integration development mechanism, establish a new mechanism for cross-city cooperation, turn previous action declarations intocontinuous cooperation and fruitful results, and safeguard the enduring cultural roots, smooth ecological green industry, and strengthen the vibrant economic development.

The Yancheng Initiative to Build the Huai River Golden Waterway to Promote High-Quality Development Along the Huai River and the Research Report on the Collaborative Development Plan for Ports and Navigation in the Huai River Basinwere released during the conference. The "Initiative" proposed to comprehensively promote the implementation of the Huai River Ecological Economic Belt Development Programme,deepen the joint construction of the Huai River Golden Waterway among urban agglomeration, promote industrial transformation and upgrading, seek green and low-carbon development, and jointly draw a beautiful ecological picture to promote high-quality development along the Huai River. The "Report"proposed to build a spatial development pattern for ports and navigation in the Huai River centered on the Yancheng Port as the gateway port to the Huai River Ecological Economic Belt, with the Huai River and the Grand Canal as the main axes, forming a ”one core, two axes, four directions, and multiple points” pattern of deep interconnection and cooperation among multiple ports.