In the scorching wind and sand at the northern end of the Red Sea, steel giant like roll on/roll off ships slowly docked, and thousands of brand new domestic cars lined up in silver formations at the port of Aqaba. This is Jordan's only seaport, which is breathing the industrial pulse from the East. When tires run over foreign ports, it is not only the landing of goods, but also the resilient pulse of the land sea Silk Road in turbulent changes.

A large number of Chinese cars are arriving at the port

As Jordan's only maritime gateway, the port of Aqaba is witnessing a new round of collective sea voyages made in China. Thousands of newly arrived Chinese cars are neatly parked on the dock site. Aqaba is Jordan's only seaport, through which the vast majority of imported cars enter the country. Mahmoud Hereffat, the general manager of the port operation company, introduced that these vehicles will be transferred to the Zarqa Free Trade Zone for customs clearance, with some being sold in the local Jordanian market and the remaining vehicles being transferred to neighboring countries.

Mutual trust from shelves to hearts

In recent years, the popularity of various Chinese products in the Jordanian market has continued to rise. Heleffat said that even though the regional situation is turbulent and increases the risk of maritime transportation, Chinese goods including cars continue to arrive at the port of Aqaba. The Sulong Mall, operated by Zhejiang merchant Zhusensen who has been doing business locally for more than 20 years, along with the surrounding Chinatown, is the core distribution center for domestic goods in Aqaba. It has a complete range of product categories such as toys, clothing, digital, and home furnishings, and is also a popular consumption check-in spot in the local area.

Nearly 60 shops have settled in the Chinatown completed in 2006. Jordanian consumers generally recognize the quality and cost-effectiveness of domestic products, and no longer consider them as low-priced low-end products. Local residents can purchase goods here and directly communicate with Chinese merchants; Local merchants also expressed that commercial venues have built a communication bridge between the two countries, bringing them closer and enhancing mutual trust.

Special economic zones attract investment and expand diversified cooperation

The Aqaba Special Economic Zone, located at the southern end of Jordan, was established in 2001 to attract global investment through its geographical location and tax incentives that connect Asia, Africa, and Europe. Mohammed Abu Omar, Commissioner of the Special Administrative Region Management Department, introduced that there are currently over 30 registered Chinese enterprises, covering industries such as retail, textiles, light industry processing, and import and export trade. Keywords: Aqaba Port, Jordan, Chinese Automobile, Bilateral Economic and Trade

A Sino Norwegian joint venture is responsible for the overall development and operation of the Aqaba International Industrial Park, which is 15 kilometers away from the port. More and more Chinese companies are entering the park for development. Jordan officially recognizes the operational capabilities of the Chinese park and the two sides have signed a cooperation agreement to develop the new Quila International Industrial Zone. The local government continues to attract Chinese investors, relying on the port's location to promote national level projects such as water supply, green hydrogen, and railways. It plans to leverage Chinese infrastructure, new energy, seawater desalination, digital infrastructure, and other technologies to expand bilateral industrial cooperation space.Editor/Gong Ziwei