The highest ranking official from the China Merchants Group (CMG) visited the Hambantota International Port on an inspection tour of the facility last week. Chairman Miao Jianmin was welcomed by Johnson Liu, CEO of Hambantota International Port Group (HIPG) and staff of the port.
CMG is the parent company of CMPort which has a public private partnership with the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) for Hambantota International Port. Founded in 1872 as China’s first commercial corporation, CMG is the pioneer of national industry and commerce in China. The Group continues to play a significant role in modern China's economic and social development, pushing China forward in many historic moments.
CMG’s Chairman Miao Jianmin’s visit included a tour of the port’s tank farm, oil jetty, RORO terminal, and the newly opened duty free shopping complex. Speaking at the event, he said that the China Merchants Group, through its two major projects, CICT and Hambantota International Port, will continue to make further investments in the South Asian region. The Group plans to actively promote cooperation with international high-quality enterprises such as Sinopec and focus on RORO, bulk cargo, oil and gas, development of container handling, industrial park, and maritime services. It is the Group’s mission to build a world-class comprehensive port, with continuously improving supply chain services.
CMG has now extended its operations globally to emerging sectors such as big health and testing services. The Group’s major indicators grew steadily, with annual operating revenue reaching 959.01 billion yuan by the end of 2022, up by 3.2% year on year. Total profits were 219.28 billion yuan, up 3.3% year on year; net profits were 179.61 billion yuan, up 5.9% year on year; and total assets were 12.4 trillion yuan, up 8.1% year on year. The Chairman attributed these achievements to the contribution and efforts of every frontline employee of CMG and its subsidiary companies.
Today, the China Merchants Group has over 280,000 employees worldwide. Chairman Miao Jianmin emphasised that employees are a most critical resource of an enterprise, and CMG, across all its subsidiary companies has provided all-round and multi-level support to ensure employee development. In 2022, the Group identified four priorities, i.e. strategy of talent resources, talent structure, talent investment, and talent system innovation, with the aim of comprehensively promoting the construction of its talent teams. The platform of China Merchants Group, allows opportunity, encourages hard work, within an environment that is conducive for achieving excellent results, the chairman further said.
He also spoke of the importance CMG as a group places on employee safety, especially in terms of HIP’s oil terminal and tank farm operations. Research and exploration of safety management are vital to continuously improve safety systems and security measures to ensure a safe work environment.
HIPG’s global partner, China Merchants Ports Holdings Company Limited (CMPort), has a growing presence in South Asia, Africa, the Mediterranean and South America with a network of 42 ports spanning 25 countries and regions.
Chairman Miao Jianmin’s entourage included CMG Vice Presidents Deng Renjie and Feng Boming, and Wang Xiufeng, CEO of CMPort. Johnson Liu, CEO of HIPG and Ravi Jayawickreme, CEO of HIPS were also in attendance at the event.