Thrive by the water, strive for innovation and strength; accelerate the construction of a world-class engineering consultancy company.

Transportation is the lifeline of the economy and the bond of civilization. Currently, the rapidly evolving changes of the past century are accelerating, and China's development stands at a period of strategic opportunities intertwined with risks and challenges, with increasing uncertainties and unpredictability. This is also a critical phase for state-owned enterprises to fully fulfill their strategic missions and better serve the construction of Chinese modernization.

Standing at the intersection of the start of the "15th Five-Year Plan" and the 75th anniversary of its founding, reflecting on the journey of China Communications Water Transportation Planning and Design Institute Co., Ltd. (CCWDI), which was born out of water and thrived towards the sea, we deeply realize that the water transportation planning and design industry is undergoing profound transformation from scale expansion to stock optimization and quality improvement, as well as from traditional design to value-driven design. Where is the industry headed? What sustains an enterprise? These are the pressing questions of our times that must be answered well.

Recognizing Changes: Profound Restructuring of the Water Transportation Planning and Design Industry

At present, the water transportation industry is in a period of deep transformation, moving away from the development phase dominated by large-scale incremental expansion and shifting towards a high-quality development path that emphasizes stock optimization and emerging increments. Opportunities and challenges are intertwined. As the front end and soul of water transport infrastructure construction, the water transportation planning and design industry is undergoing profound restructuring.

The industry's development model is shifting towards "stock quality improvement + renovation and upgrading" as the main focus, with whole lifecycle services and full-process engineering consulting quickly becoming the mainstream approach. In the coastal port sector, investment priorities are shifting from scale expansion to addressing structural weaknesses, focusing on technological upgrades and facility improvements, with sustained increases in investment in green ports and smart port construction. In the inland waterway sector, efforts center on capacity expansion and upgrades of main routes such as the Yangtze River trunk line, Xijiang shipping trunk line, and the Beijing-Hangzhou Canal, to smooth the route networks of the Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta, enhance the interconnection of main and branch waterways, and improve inland radiation capabilities.

Intelligence, greening, integration, and safety are the main threads of transformation, with cross-sector integration and full-industry-chain collaboration increasingly becoming the norm. Cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence and digital twins are deeply integrated into the industry, driving the design consulting sector from "experience-driven" to "data-driven" development. This manifests in three major trends: technological integration, business integration, and scenario integration, reshaping the industry's value chain. Green transformation is transitioning from concept advocacy to practical implementation, driving the design consulting industry from end-stage treatment toward full-chain greening.

Competition is shifting towards comprehensive strength comparisons, with market focus concentrated on key domestic fields and emerging overseas markets, while new qualitative productivity drives the industry's move towards high-end upgrades. The competitive landscape of the industry is accelerating its differentiation. Leading design institutes leverage their comprehensive credentials, technical reputation, and full-chain service advantages to dominate high-end major projects. Small and medium-sized organizations are transitioning towards specialized niches and localized developments, phasing out low-end homogenized competition. Quality assurance, green and low-carbon technologies, and digital capabilities are becoming core competitive advantages. Segments such as "Water Transport+," "Smart+," ocean, new energy, water conservancy, and hydropower infrastructure are continuously expanding and upgrading, becoming new growth poles.

Seeking Change: Reshaping Core Competitiveness with "Three Distinctions and Five Attributes"

Facing new situations, tasks, and requirements, CCWDI will adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. It will comprehensively implement the "General Guidelines" set forth by the China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) Group, anchor itself in the "1545" development strategy and "123456" overarching principles, and focus on creating an upgraded version of the "Three Distinctions and Five Attributes" CCWDI, accelerating the march toward the goal of achieving "high-quality excellence and world-class excellence."

The "Three Distinctions" as the Foundation, Reshaping Strategic Roles. Establishing a "sector-focused institute" with distinct expertise in "all water domains" to continuously consolidate the competitive edge of traditional water transport business and accelerate its transformation and upgrading; Building a "specialized institute" with clear features in "all urban sectors," providing pathways to expand and develop differentiated competitiveness; Creating a "comprehensive institute" with a pronounced feature of "whole-process consulting," fully leveraging the company's unique advantages to shape irreplaceable value.

The "Five Attributes" as Enablers, Forging Core Advantages. Developing the CCWDI as a "Think Tank Type," fully utilizing its core talent advantage to become a government's adviser and an industry think tank; Transforming CCWDI into an "Innovative Type," aligning the external need for critical technological breakthroughs with the internal demand to maintain core competitive advantages to drive innovation-led development; Creating a "Digital and Intelligent Type" CCWDI by actively adopting BIM technology and AI-powered tools, as well as building collaborative design and engineering lifecycle management platforms for digital transformation; Establishing a "Fusion Type" CCWDI to enhance the coordination capabilities across "all transport," "all cities," "all water domains," "all intelligence," and "all green" industrial chains, as well as the capacity to integrate internal and external resources; Building an "International Type" CCWDI to support the Belt and Road Initiative and implement "Big Overseas," "Big Industry," "Big Equipment," and "Big Integration," creating unique value.

Mutual support and deep integration of "Three Distinctions" and "Five Attributes." On one hand, leveraging the "Three Distinctions" framework to strengthen core businesses and expand emerging ventures, thereby constructing a sustainable business system; on the other hand, by solidifying the foundation and improving capabilities, forming a strategic closed loop of "top-tier design guidance—innovation-driven breakthroughs—digital and green integration enablement—resource integration and collaboration—global expansion breakthroughs."

During the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, CCWDI strives for overall optimization and continuous improvement of the "One Profit and Five Ratios" operational indicators, fully achieving the target tasks set by the CCCC Group. The principal development indicators will maintain a healthy trajectory.

Consolidating the Foundation: Guiding High-Quality Development with High-Quality Party Building

Adhering to Party leadership and strengthening Party building are the "roots" and "soul" of state-owned enterprises. CCWDI's Party committee consistently prioritizes political leadership to set the direction, team building as strong support, discipline maintenance to uphold boundaries, and culture as cohesion power. It exemplifies the advantages of Party building throughout all domains, aspects, and processes of corporate governance, guiding high-quality company development with high-quality Party building.

First, strengthen political direction. Upholding the Party's political construction as the top priority, reinforcing the Party's leadership in steering direction, shaping the overall landscape, and ensuring implementation. Ensuring deep integration of Party leadership with corporate governance while guiding modernization efforts with a correct evaluation of political performance, leading to more scientific decision-making, efficient execution, and effective supervision.

Second, solidify grassroots foundations. By focusing on the "Five Key Engineering Projects" in Party building, comprehensively strengthening the organizational system, integrating the "Seven-Capture" program throughout grassroots Party building processes, selecting and empowering "three key teams," and ensuring effective coverage of fundamental activities like education, management, and supervision of Party members.

Third, foster a culture of integrity. Tightly aligning with the Party Central Committee's key directives and the implementation of the CCCC Group’s strategies, improving the effectiveness of supervision. Focusing on key domains, enhancing problem detection and rectification efforts. Advancing the eradication of "Four Winds" and cultivating new habits, improving and perfecting the comprehensive supervision mechanism, and fostering an anti-corruption culture with CCWDI characteristics. Correctly steering through political performance evaluation to continuously enhance the "four abilities" of the leadership team and strengthen their commitment to responsibility.

Fourth, promote in-depth integration. Centered on building strong Party brands, continuously improving the "Party Building+" branding system. Ensuring integration of Party building work with central tasks in planning, advancing, and evaluating. Guiding grassroots organizations to identify the intersection, conversion point, and value proposition of Party building with key project development, technological innovation, and market expansion—ensuring high-quality Party building supports high-quality development.

Fifth, unite group synergies. Maximizing cohesion, collective strength, consensus, and shared vision. Effectively advancing "Three For" initiatives, addressing employees’ pressing needs, aiding youth growth and development, and recognizing outstanding role models to comprehensively enhance employees' sense of happiness, fulfillment, and security while inspiring enthusiasm and creativity across the workforce.

Reflecting on history, CCWDI was founded and established alongside the dawn of New China, weathering seventy-five years of trials and maintaining its original mission steadfastly. At present, CCWDI is working tirelessly for progress, reform, and innovation. Looking into the future, CCWDI will continue to uphold the responsibilities of a "sectoral institute and national institute," maintain confidence, overcome challenges, deepen reforms, and constantly exceed itself. Under the leadership of the Party and the guidance of the CCCC Group, it will accelerate its development into a world-class engineering consulting company. Through diligent efforts, it will serve the country and benefit society, writing a new chapter in the journey towards building a leading transportation and maritime powerhouse.

(The author is the Party Secretary and Chairman of China Communications Water Transportation Planning and Design Institute Co., Ltd.)