China’s largest marine park operator looks to build attractions along new Silk Road

Wang Xuguang, chief executive of Haichang, told the South China Morning Post that the company was in discussion with several mainland state-owned infrastructure builders to develop three to four ocean parks along China’s new silk road in countries like Bangladesh and Madagascar.

“As the state-owned infrastructure builders construct ports and roads along the ‘One Belt, One Road’, they also need our help to add amusement facilities to go with the megaprojects,” he said. “This model fits us perfectly since we already had plans to tap the emerging markets.”

The belt and road initiative, introduced by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, aims to connect overland corridors and sea routes to bolster China’s trade ties with 65 countries.

Building power plants, roads, ports and other infrastructure works in those countries are an important part of China’s ambitions of creating a new global economic order on the back of an investment of at least 780 billion yuan (US$119 billion).

“Markets like Japan, Europe and America are not our targets,” Wang said. “Instead, we set our eyes on markets like India, central Asia and Africa.”

He added that Haichang would not necessarily invest in the construction of the ocean parks along the Belt and Road routes, but could embark on an “asset-light” strategy by just designing and operating the resorts for state-backed companies.