From January to August, Pingxiang’s total foreign trade (imports + exports) is estimated to have reached RMB 161.06 billion, marking a year-on-year growth of 16.9 percent. In the first half of the year, large‐scale industrial output in the city hit RMB 4.92 billion, up 11.96 percent; industrial value added rose 18.8 percent. Industrial investment over that same period reached RMB 1.486 billion, up 78.9 percent year over year. Meanwhile, the city received 5.7148 million tourist visits (up 11.4 %), generating RMB 5.584 billion in tourism revenue (up 12.93 %).
These standout numbers reflect robust performance this year in Pingxiang — a border city in southern Guangxi — across the key sectors of foreign trade, industry, and tourism. With the dual strategy of “high quality, high speed” in force, the port economy here has continued its steady ascent, largely meeting its development targets.
A New Engine for Foreign Trade
Pingxiang owes its origin to its border port. It thrives on openness, and it prospers through trade.
A major boost to its trade momentum comes from smart port infrastructure. The China side of the China–Vietnam smart port projects (Youyiguan ↔ Youyiguan and Puzhai ↔ Xinqing) is nearly completed and planned for trial operation by year’s end; the Vietnamese side is also being actively advanced. Once linked, the two systems will allow 24/7 uninterrupted operations.
The newly operational Youyiguan customs checkpoint now features 12 traffic lanes for inbound and outbound vehicles, with daily throughput exceeding 1,500 vehicles. From January to July, port and border‐trade corridors handled 568,200 vehicle movements — a 35.51 % increase from the same period last year.
Cross-border e-commerce is another key driver. The Guangxi (Chongzuo) Free Trade Pilot Zone’s public cross-border e-commerce customs centre hosts 30 companies, covering platforms such as Shopee, Lazada and TikTok. From January to August 2025, cross-border e-commerce trade volumes in the city surged over 169 %.
Pingxiang has attracted leading cross-border e-commerce firms into its border export processing industrial park. The park now includes a goods selection and stocking centre, a livestreaming base, and two sorting warehouses totaling 30,000 sqm — forming an emerging industrial cluster.
A dedicated live-streaming base employs more than 40 young anchors fluent in Vietnamese (many of whom are ethnic Chinese) to conduct daily livestreams — on average 60 sessions per day, each averaging sales of over RMB 30,000.
Logistics reach extends to more than 20 major ASEAN hub cities. The share of cross-border e-commerce in Pingxiang’s total trade continues to climb steadily.
Industry Gains New Momentum
Border openness is giving the local industry strong forward pressure.
Pingxiang now has 60 industrial enterprises above designated scale. In the first half of the year, their total output reached RMB 4.92 billion. Of those, 19 enterprises focus on processing ASEAN specialty products, contributing RMB 3.176 billion — some 64.57 % of the city’s industrial total. Year-on-year, industrial added value in this group rose 18.8 %, ranking first in the region.
New project landing further solidifies the “core foundation.” The city’s industrial park is prioritizing three pillar sectors — electronic information, ASEAN specialty processing, and home-goods manufacturing — alongside two key sectors, light industry & textiles and mechanical equipment. On top of these, emerging sectors such as biopharma, new materials, and new energy are being nurtured, forming a “3 + 2 + N” industrial layout. As of September, the park hosts 91 industrial firms above scale, 66 of which are in the three pillar sectors.
New Landscapes in Culture & Tourism
On April 29, Pingxiang launched a “2-day, 1-night cross-border trip” (using a border pass) to Lang Son, Vietnam.
By September 30, the city had dispatched 4,456 one-day outbound tours (up 47.75 %) and transported 77,696 tourists (up 76.89 %). The two-day outbound tours, introduced in late April, reached 158 batches and 3,033 people — a steadily rising trend.
Cross-border short trips, which require no passport and offer high value, have become a popular option for domestic travelers.
2025 is designated as a China–Vietnam cultural exchange year. So far, Pingxiang has hosted the Guangxi–Pingxiang China–Vietnam Border Tourism Festival and organized eight major cultural and performance events, including a China–Vietnam border Spring Gala. Local officials have also participated in Vietnam’s peach blossom and art festivals, deepening bilateral people-to-people bonds and cross-border tourism integration.
To further catalyze development, Pingxiang has drafted a cross-border tourism cooperation zone plan (Pingxiang ↔ Van Lang). The city has invested over RMB 10 million to upgrade infrastructure — roads, lighting, façades — in the Puzhai core zone, aiming to build a “Dream Puzhai: cross-border night city” landmark. Since the opening of Puzhai Street on August 1, it has welcomed some 230,000 visitors, injecting new vitality into the city’s cross-border cultural and tourism sector.
(Editor：Waseem Khan)
