In the winter, “China’s Green City” Nanning is a riot of flowers and full of vitality. From December 7th to 9th, over 20 representatives from mainstream media outlets, Chinese-language media, and positive-energy online media influencers from Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas visited Nanning City, Guangxi, to participate in the “Nanning Channel: Infinite Opportunities” 2024 Foreign Media Tour of Nanning, a joint event organized by the Publicity Department of the CPC Nanning Municipal Committee and the Guangxi Branch of China News Service. They delved into experiencing the vibrant energy of Nanning’s open development.
Nanning is the provincial capital city closest to ASEAN in China and serves as a frontier and hub for China’s open cooperation with ASEAN. Since 2004, the China-ASEAN Expo has been held annually in Nanning, establishing the “Nanning Channel” to promote mutual political trust, expand areas of cooperation, and foster all-round exchanges between China and ASEAN.
Currently, Nanning is closely focusing on its new positioning and mission bestowed by the nation to build an international metropolis open to ASEAN cooperation. Seizing the significant historical opportunity presented by the construction of the Pinglu Canal, Nanning insists on the integrated development of cross-border industries and a dual strategy of “looking towards the sea for strength,” using high-level openness to promote high-quality development. The “Nanning Channel” effect continues to stand out, and its influence keeps growing. The open passageway achieves new speeds, the open platform injects new vitality, and the “going global” of industries ushers in a fresh atmosphere.
Geographically close and mechanisms aligned. Nanning has established a series of international cooperation mechanisms for political, economic, and cultural exchanges between China and ASEAN countries. Currently, six of the ten ASEAN countries have established consulates general in Nanning. Nanning has 30 international sister cities, including 10 ASEAN sister cities, leading the number of such relationships in China. The Nanning section of the China (Guangxi) Pilot Free Trade Zone and other national-level open platforms are developing in quality. The Nanning section of the China-ASEAN Industrial Cooperation Zone and the Nanning (Shenzhen) ASEAN Industrial Cooperation Zone are accelerating construction, making Nanning a burgeoning international hub for exchanges serving the China-ASEAN community with a shared future.
In terms of information connectivity, the mechanism for information interconnectivity centered around the China-ASEAN Information Harbor is rapidly taking shape, with the completion of 3 dedicated international data channels, a batch of digital economy industrial parks, and computing centers oriented towards ASEAN. Nanning is also the fourth city in China to establish an international telecommunications gateway, accelerating the interconnectivity of information with ASEAN countries and significantly enhancing its capacity to provide information infrastructure services oriented towards ASEAN.
In terms of financial connectivity, the core area of Nanning as a financial gateway to ASEAN is accelerating its construction. The China-ASEAN Financial City has seen more than 560 financial institutions (enterprises) settled, including regional headquarters of financial institutions such as Bank of China (Hong Kong) and Taiping Insurance. The China-ASEAN Cross-Border Trade Finance Interconnectivity Platform has been launched, and five nationally leading financial innovation pilot services, including cross-border RMB interbank financing, have been implemented in Nanning.
Currently, Nanning has established a multi-dimensional transportation network connecting with ASEAN by road, rail, sea, and air. The China-Vietnam cross-border logistics expressway is accelerating its construction, with the most efficient and cost-effective logistics corridor rapidly taking shape. Nanning has achieved a 12-hour “factory-to-factory” road access to Bắc Ninh and Bắc Giang provinces in Vietnam; the China-Vietnam cross-border express customs clearance train operates on a regular and stable basis, with the train’s “station-to-station” travel time reduced to a minimum of about 14 hours, making Nanning International Railway Port the national hub for railway cargo exports to Vietnam. Nanning has launched 15 international cargo routes, reaching 17 cities in 10 countries across ASEAN and South Asia. After the completion and opening of the Pinglu Canal, 5,000-ton cargo vessels will be able to travel directly from Nanning to ASEAN countries, shortening the distance by over 560 kilometers compared to exiting the sea via Guangdong, making it one of the shortest, most economical, and convenient maritime channels of the new western land-sea corridor.
According to relevant departments in Nanning City, Nanning is following the “one body, two wings” industrial development pattern to create the Nanning section of the China-ASEAN Industrial Cooperation Zone, promoting the agglomeration and development of industries. Among them, the “one body” focuses on the development of advanced manufacturing and high-end producer services, the “east wing” develops industries such as new energy, new energy vehicles and their components, and chemical new materials, while the “west wing” concentrates on the development of electronic information, high-end equipment manufacturing, and biopharmaceutical industries.
Nanning’s strategic emerging industries are rapidly growing, with the battery industry forming a complete industrial chain at an initial scale, led by BYD and DuoFluoride, covering anode and cathode materials, aluminum and copper foils, and cell manufacturing, making it an important aggregation area for China’s new energy industry. Industries such as semiconductors and new materials are flourishing. Traditional advantageous industries are accelerating their upgrade, with aluminum deep processing, food, and modern paper industry moving towards high-end, intelligent, and green development. Future industries are being rapidly deployed, with projects in low-altitude economy, flying cars, artificial intelligence, large-scale application of Beidou navigation, biomanufacturing, and life sciences being quickly introduced. Nanning is becoming an advanced manufacturing center oriented towards ASEAN.
Nanning is a city suitable for living and working, with greenery within the city and the city within greenery. It is known as the “Green City of China” and “A Place Cherished by Folk Songs Worldwide,” and has been honored with the United Nations Habitat Award, as well as the titles of National Civilized City, National Ecological Garden City, National Sanitary City, National Forest City, and China’s Outstanding Tourism City. Here, the green ecosystem is the foundation of the city, and openness and inclusiveness are the character of the city.
Recently, the “Nanning Municipal Territorial Space General Plan (2021-2035)” was approved by the State Council of China, with Nanning’s core functional positioning as an open gateway oriented towards ASEAN. Nanning will strengthen its international communication, industrial cooperation, scientific and technological innovation, service trade, and transportation logistics as a gateway serving the China-ASEAN community with a shared future, aiming to build an international metropolis open to cooperation with ASEAN.
“We are willing to use our keen perspective and vivid writing to truly document the transformation of Nanning and delve deeply into its culture. Let’s convey the innovative initiatives, human warmth, and cooperative sincerity from here to the world, presenting the colorful Nanning before the eyes of the globe, and letting the world know.” Let us spread the innovative initiatives, cultural warmth, and sincere cooperation from here to the world, presenting the vibrant Nanning to the global stage and making it known to the world. In the China-ASEAN cooperation landscape, Nanning always opens its arms wide, the ‘Nanning Channel’ is unobstructed, and opportunities are abundant and within easy reach. Yao Yihua, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Romanian “European Chinese Journal,” said.
