With several 100,000-ton shipping lanes, Qinzhou port looks forward to building more 300,000-ton shipping lanes and 300,000-ton berths, allowing more bigger ships to dock.

"But the money is still a problem," said Xu Wanjie, head of the planning section of Qinzhou port economic and tech development zone administration. "It takes about two years for us to get the funds to build a new port or shipping lane. Local governments are more sensitive to market changes, but the higher authorities' slow response delays the process."

Xu said the government's working style had not changed as much as State leaders expected it to. "The higher authorities remain adamant in concentrating power in their hands, leaving the grassroots departments no choice but to apply for approvals," he said.

During a visit to the city last year, Premier Li Keqiang said Qinzhou port should be handling at least 10 million standard containers a year. Li pointed out that the vast hinterland of Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan provinces provides Qinzhou port with huge growth potential.

But local officials are realistic in discussing such an ambitious target.

"Without extra help, how can a 3-year-old catch up with the adult?" asked Xie Zhujun, deputy director of the Qinzhou port office. "I hope the central government can approve Qinzhou's application of building a free-trade zone, which means more preferential policies and financial support."

Qinzhou residents donated money to build the port after border conflicts between China and Vietnam ended in the late 1980s.

The distance from southeastern China to Qinzhou port is at least 500 kilometers shorter than the road to Guangzhou. But lagging infrastructure and competition from neighboring Fangchenggang port and Beihai port have offset Qinzhou's geographical advantage.

Qinzhou port's four overseas lines - to Hong Kong, Singapore, Kaohsiung in Taiwan and Haiphong in Vietnam - all opened within the past three years. A new line to Kuantan in Malaysia will open this year.

Although the Qinzhou government has tried its best to promote the port to the enterprises and governments in the hinterlands, it has not seen a rise in clients from there.

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