Developing and sharing an open Yunnan

Southwest China's Yunnan province started its annual “Two Sessions” on Jan 23.

The Two Sessions refer to the National People's Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) of the People's Republic of China. This year, Yunnan's Two Sessions include the second session of the 14th Yunnan Provincial People's Congress and the second session of the 13th CPPCC Yunnan Committee.

This year is crucial to China’s 14th Five-Year Plan, as the country endeavors to recover its economy and upgrade key industrial sectors. Now "two sessions" are going on in provinces across China, reviewing what they’ve done in 2023 and setting targets for 2024.

In 2023, Yunnan has developed its economy based on its resources, industrial parks and dry ports, improving its market, industries, legal service, eco-environment, digital process and business environment for investment. The many-splendored Yunnan life has drawn global talents from all walks of life.

Check the video for their specific reasons for choosing Yunnan.

Business environment

The 2023 China Industrial Transfer and Development Matchmaking Activities took place in Yunnan’s Kunming in last September. It was participated by as many as 2,066 enterprises from across China. Yunnan signed 382 projects with different parties, with a planned total investment of 396.6 billion yuan. This event has offered Yunnan an opportunity to inject new energy into its industrial development and extend cooperation with various parties.

Li Aping, head of the Association of Overseas Chinese in Germany, spoke highly of Yunnan's climate and natural resources, noting provincial prospects in general health services. "I'll make Yunnan better known to German business communities by inviting them to the province for business tours," said Li.

Mutual connectivity

In October, the Shanghai-Yunnan and Lancang-Mekong international freight trains were put into operation. International railway freight services between Shanghai and Vientiane, the capital city of Laos, via Kunming have become available ever since.

“The opening of the rail services can help create a new international land-sea trade corridor, and bring brand-new business opportunities to the enterprises along the rail,” said Wu Jianlie, the chairman of Yunnan Intercontinental Multi-Model Railway Logistics Company.

International cooperation

Yunnan plays as a pivot in China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Its significance has been demonstrated through a series of international events over recent years, including China-South Asia Expo, Tengchong Scientists Forum, Nujiang Forum on Poverty Governance and Global Development, Trip of World Chinese Entrepreneurs to Yunnan, and China-India Ocean Region Forum on Blue Economy Cooperation.

All these activities having been held in Yunnan provide people from around the globe with an opportunity to learn more about this province, and join the construction of a shared future for mankind with different wisdoms.

According to Yang Danzhi, an expert from the National Institute of International Strategy, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Yunnan has made remarkable progresses in the areas such as science and technology, education, cultural industry and public health. He believes that the province can further take its geographic advantages by strengthening agricultural and ecological cooperation with countries from the Lancang-Mekong region in the future.

Biodiversity conservation

Yunnan has been considered one of the most biodiverse provinces in China. According to the statistics, Yunnan is home to over 900 types of fungi, accounting for 30% and 90% of edible wild mushrooms worldwide and nationwide, respectively.

“There are more fungi species in Yunnan than anywhere else in the world with a same size of territory. Yunnan’s fungi biodiversity is just incredible,” said Peter Edward Mortimer, a soil ecology professor from the Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Tourism recovery

Since early 2023, the topic “Yunnan: A Many Splendored Life” has gone viral on China’s social media. The total views exceeded 23 billion times.

The 2023 China International Travel Mart (CITM) was held in Kunming in last November. At the Yunnan Cultural Tourism Investment Promotion Event, over 120 key investment projects around the innovation of tourist products, business models and services were launched, with an overall investment of approximately 170 billion yuan. Meanwhile, more than 60 tourism-related projects were signed, covering fields such as academic research, outdoor sports, cultural tourism as well as senior tourism.

Thanks to the assistance of a wide range of new elements such as livestreaming and AI technology, Yunnan’s cultural tourism now looks more attractive to not only tourists but also tourism professionals from around the country.

Openness has been Yunnan’s major driving force of development. We get together for new opportunities, and work together for a bright and shared future.

Editing by Guo Yao; translating by Wang Jingzhong; proofreading by Wang Huan and Wang Shixue; Video by Zi Jiangfei; Photo providing by Yang Zheng, Lei Tongsu, Zhou Can, Huang Xingneng and Hu Yuya