Yunnan achieves win-win with neighbouring countries by opening up

As Yunnan province opens its door wider, it is providing more opportunities for neighbouring countries to board the express train of China's economic development while enhancing its own development momentum and improving its own development quality. A win-win situation has been achieved among involved parties.

CSA Expo and flower market 

Following the 5th China-South Asia Expo in June, the Cambodian jasmine rice has entered 20 Zhijia convenience stores in Kunming.

"This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Cambodia. The cooperation between the two countries has gradually borne fruits. China's favourable import policies and Chinese consumers' pursuit of quality have strengthened our confidence to explore the Yunnan market," said Ye Yongming, regional manager in Nanning of Canadian Group, the parent company of Golden DaunKeo Rice Mill Co Ltd.

Kunming International Flower Auction and Trading Centre is the largest fresh cut flower auction market in Asia. During peak hours every day, eight to ten million flowers are sold to more than 50 countries and regions. Among them, 20 percent to 30 percent are exported to South and Southeast Asian countries.

As the opening up and cooperation deepens, the foreign goods such as Myanmar jade, Sri Lankan gems and Indian blue crabs have made their ways into the homes of ordinary Chinese people.

The Hekou land port 

Every morning at the Hekou border crossing, Yunnan province, hundreds and even thousands of vendors from Lao Cai , Vietnam, are waiting to enter the customs with local products.

In the afternoon, Chinese products will follow the same path and reach the other side of the river. Over the years, such busyness has become a daily routine for traders along the China-Vietnam border.

The business man Yang Tianhua , is one of the examples who earned his first pot of gold by selling daily necessities in Yunnan’s border city Lincang. From riding a motor bike to driving a car, a lot of “Yang Tianhuas” have witnessed tremendous changes that Yunnan’s opening up brings.

Kunming-Bangkok Highway

In December 2013, the 500-meter Ban Houayxay bridge on Kunming-Bangkok Highway opened to traffic, drawing attention worldwide.

The opening means that the Kunming-Bangkok Highway, which is about 1,800 kilometers in length, has achieved full run-through. As an important traffic artery connecting China to Southeast Asian countries, the highway has enabled Yunnan to closely interconnect with neighboring countries.

Yunnan is becoming an increasingly important height of China's opening up to South and Southeast Asia. Statistics show that the province's import and export volume grew from 104 million US dollars in 1978 to 23.39 billion US dollars in 2017, and nearly 60 percent of the increase was from the trade with South and Southeast Asian countries.

So far, Yunnan has established 90 pairs of sister cities with 34 countries across the world. 

(Compiled from Yunnan Daily)