When a Chinese delegation from Lianyungang was received with great honors in Herne a few weeks ago, people were not only happy at the town hall and at the Wanner Herner Railway (WHE) about the prospect of regular goods traffic between China and Herne.


After all, the whole city could benefit if the container terminal at Wanner Westhafen becomes a hub for international trade in the future. It is certainly more than just a good omen that Herne’s Lord Mayor Dr. Frank Dudda was invited by the high-ranking delegation to pay a return visit to China. There, after a flight of more than 18 hours, he can get an idea of a country that is still foreign to most of us, although the economic power China is now a giant that there is no way around.
Huge dimensions
China’s efforts to realign global trade flows are a consequence of the expansion policy of recent decades and the opening towards a market economy. A visible example of these efforts is Lianyungang, or rather its port. The city now has more than 5,000,000 inhabitants, which roughly corresponds to the Ruhr area in terms of numbers, but on a much larger area and with significant annual increases. You have to travel a proud 150 kilometers to drive through the metropolis from north to south, in the east-west direction it is still 130 kilometers – enormous dimensions and yet nothing special by Chinese standards.
A port with tradition
The port also has a constant growth to offer. Founded in 549, it was henceforth mainly used for the transport of salt. To this day, he plays an important role in China, was opened for foreign trade already in 1905, even before the founding of the Republic of China. When an important railway connection reached Lianyungang in 1933, a Dutch company further expanded the port. After World War II, several river ports merged with the Lianyungang Port.
Which country is Lianyungang?
What province is Lianyungang?