Pingtan county in Fujian province has been chosen as the starting point of a high-profile voyage to retrace the ancient Maritime Silk Road, ptnet.cn reported on April 1.

The voyage is scheduled to set out on April 20, when Zhai Mo, a well-known Chinese navigator, and his team will lead a fleet of unpowered sailboats to follow the route through Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, the Seychelles, Egypt, Greece and Malta before reaching the destination in Italy.

The journey will stretch more than 10,000 sea miles and pass through famous waters like the Taiwan Straits, Malacca Strait, Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea and Mediterranean.

“We decided to sail from Pingtan because it boasts favorable winds and geographic conditions,” said Zhai.

The voyage will boost cultural, economic, sports and academic exchanges along the Maritime Silk Road, resonating with China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

The voyage will pass on the cultural traditions of the Maritime Silk Road and elevate Pingtan's role in the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, said Ouyang Xiaobo, director of the local bureau of social affairs.

The event is jointly organized by the Chinese Cultural Promotion Society, China International Culture Exchange Center, Fujian Media Group and the Pingtan Comprehensive Pilot Zone.