On the morning of 29 September 2003, Yantian International Container Terminals (YICT) was recognised as fifth of the "100 Star Enterprises of Overseas Chinese in China, 2000-2002" at the People's Great Hall in Beijing. YICT was the only company in the port industry which received the honour.
Mr. Tang Jiaxuan, the State Councillor, was the ceremony's guest-of-honour and delivered a keynote speech to praise the overseas Chinese enterprises for their great contributions to the economic development and social progress of China.
Mr. Kenneth Tse, General Manager of YICT, attended the award ceremony and subsequent activities to celebrate National Day.
This is the first year such an award has been presented to overseas Chinese enterprises in China. The Office of Overseas Chinese Affairs plans to hold the awards every three years to highlight the achievements overseas Chinese enterprises have made to China's modernisation and promotion of economic development.
All candidate enterprises are strictly screened by the provincial and municipal governments and then reviewed by the State Panel Committee in terms of their sales revenue, tax payment and environmental protection. Subsequently, 100 finalists are selected as star enterprises.
As a large foreign-funded enterprise, YICT has participated in the economic development of its local district since commencing operations in 1994. Offering world class container terminal services, the company has established a good business reputation in the port and shipping industry.
YICT's rapid growth has not only fueled the development of Shenzhen's port industry, but has also spurred on related industries including shipping, warehousing, financing and export processing. The overall investment environment has improved, attracting a greater number of foreign investors to southern China. Since the terminal’s opening, YICT has received several notable awards including the Advanced Enterprise of Foreign Exporters in China and the Top 500 Enterprises of Import and Export in China.
Currently, YICT is expediting the construction of its Phase III Project. With the project's first two berths scheduled to start operations within the year, YICT's capacity will increase substantially. Meanwhile, YICT will continue to co-operate with relevant parties to establish a sophisticated port traffic network, bringing forward the preliminary planning of the second access to Yantian Port. YICT is fully committed to contributing to both the local economy and social development.