Port development is seen as crucial to promoting land-sea interconnectivity and ensuring the success of domestic and international trade under the BRI.

For example, Taicang Port has become one of the busiest ports along the Yangtze River, involving 219 routes and offering comprehensive coverage of domestic coastal regions and international access.

Over the past decade, Jiangsu's imports and exports with countries involved in the BRI have expanded from 1.16 trillion yuan in 2013 to 2.23 trillion yuan in 2022, with an average annual growth rate of 6.5 percent, data from Nanjing Customs showed.

Abdul Wajid Khan, a research scholar and journalist at Independent News Pakistan who participated in the media trip, said, "Jiangsu will further increase its trade and economic relationship with countries involved in the BRI." It will also help them "modernize industrial sectors with the help of its high-tech industrial capacity", he added.

Furthermore, Jiangsu spares no effort in promoting cultural exchanges between countries participating in the BRI. Jiangsu's culture is something to take pride in, and Jiangsu should focus on enhancing its cultural outreach to the world, said Pham Thu Thuy, the Voice of Vietnam editor.

During the media trip, foreign journalists visited locations such as the Nanjing City Wall Museum, the Yangzhou Opera Theater and Lianyungang Old Street, allowing them to personally experience the rich historical and contemporary culture of Jiangsu.

Mohamed Beiji, the China-Arab TV journalist, said, "The trip is a manifestation of Jiangsu's efforts to promote cultural exchanges."

Meanwhile, though the replica of Zheng He's ship may never set sail, the explorer's legacy continues with the ports of Taicang and Lianyungang, which remain bustling as they facilitate the transportation of goods and spread the principles of peaceful cooperation and mutual benefit to distant shores.