Jim MacLellan, director of Trade Development for the Port of Los Angeles. File photo.

China’s Belt and Road Initiative is a valuable opportunity for the United States, and the Port of Los Angeles can be America's maritime outpost to integrate into the plan, according to a high-ranking executive at the port.

Jim MacLellan, director of Trade Development for the Port of Los Angeles, made the statement in an exclusive interview with Xinhua. He said the port is responsible for 43 percent of the country's total cargo volume. It can become a key maritime hub for "Belt and Road" projects in the Pacific, even making inroads beyond the coasts of North America and South America.

MacLellan believes that the purposes of the initiative include weaving a tighter connection between Asia, Europe and Africa, establishing new communication channels and diversifying the development of various countries. As a result, MacLellan said he was pleased to see the U.S. send a delegation to the Belt and Road forum in Beijing on May 14 and 15.

“Los Angeles has long boasted close trade relations with China. About 90 percent of cargo in the Port of Los Angeles comes from Asia, and over two-thirds is from China,” he added.

MacLellan also said the initiative creates opportunities for small and medium-sized U.S. companies, especially in the hardware and service sectors.