China remains the number one container trade partner of Port of Antwerp-Bruges and ranks third in overall trade volumes. A high-level delegation led by Johan Klaps, President of the Port of Antwerp-Bruges and Vice Mayor of the City of Antwerp, together with Luc Arnouts, Vice President International Relations and Networks, Tom Verbelen, Director External Affairs of the City of Antwerp, Guojin Liu, Business Development Manager, and Jan Van Der Borght, Representative Port of Antwerp-Bruges and Economic Diplomatic Advisor to the Belgian Embassy, visited China to reinforce strategic partnerships.
Highlights of the mission:
• Celebrating 40 years of friendship between the Port of Antwerp-Bruges and the Port of Shanghai — the largest port in the world.
• Marking 10 years of sister port relations with Guangzhou Port, including a joint session with APEC alumni.
• Strategic meetings with COSCO Shipping and COSCO Logistics to deepen collaboration.
• Attending the naming ceremony of the chemical tanker Bochem Callao in Yangzhou, built by China Merchants Industry for Antwerp-based CMB.TECH — a symbol of our shared commitment to sustainable shipping.
• Meeting with the Shanghai Diamond Exchange, reinforcing Antwerp’s global leadership in the diamond trade.
• Showcasing our gateway to Europe at the China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai.
As Johan Klaps stated: “Today, we celebrate a strong partnership in action — a partnership built on trust and shaping the future of global trade together.”
This mission highlights how enduring relationships and joint initiatives with our Chinese partners are driving progress — from sustainable shipping to innovation, connectivity, and the diamond trade — reinforcing the Port of Antwerp-Bruges as a key hub in global trade.
