China's Landbridge Group acquires 99-year lease of Darwin's commercial port.(File Photo)

Following a successful deal with Australia on a 99-year lease of Darwin's commercial port, China's Landbridge Group acquired Panama's largest port, Margarita Island, on May 12. The company plans to build a modern and efficient deep-water port, which will play an active role in coordinated development between the harbors along the One Belt, One Road path.

Located by the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal, the Margarita Island port is in the western hemisphere's largest free trade zone—Colon Free Trade Zone, which boasts sea, railway, land and air transportation, and is one of the world's most important goods distribution centers.

Landbridge Group plans to construct a modern and efficient deep-water port with four container berths and an annual capacity of 300 million TEUs. 

After the expansion of the Panama Canal, a new generation of larger container ships will be able to pass through, which will effectively reduce transport distance, time and costs.

The expansion will also facilitate the trade of bulk commodities between South American and Asian countries, improve the efficiency of trade and transport between China and the eastern United States, and promote more cross-border trade overall.