People’s Republic of China (Yunnan Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region)
Quick Facts
| Population | 48 million (2017) |
| GDP at PPP (current international dollars) | 466 billion (2017) |
| GDP per capita at PPP (current international dollars) | 9,700 (2017) |
| Population | 56 million (2017) |
| GDP at PPP (current international dollars) | 575 billion (2017) |
| GDP per capita at PPP (current international dollars) | 10,194 (2017) |
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The southern parts of the People’s Republic of China that are part of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) are rich in agriculture. The Yunnan region produces rice, corn, barley, wheat, rapeseed, sweet potatoes, soybeans, tea and other crops, as well as livestock. Because the area is mountainous, Yunnan is also home to spectacular rice terraces. The Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region is similarly blessed with a wide variety of agricultural products, including oranges, rice, beans, corn, cassava, cinnamon, bananas, vegetables, durian, pineapples, and tea, as well as livestock. Both areas trade products and expertise with their GMS neighbors.
The PRC has established itself as a leader in the development of renewable energy, and the GMS member areas of Yunnan and Guangxi are no exception. Hydropower, wind and solar projects operate in the areas. The two regions also benefit from the rural electrification programs of the national Government, and share renewable energy expertise with their GMS partners.
Yunnan and Guangxi are rich ecological areas with much to contribute to the GMS environment sector. Guangxi is mountainous, with a diverse range of plant life. More than a third of Yunnan is forested, twice the average of other regions in the PRC. Yunnan has more species of tropical, subtropical, temperate, and frigid-zone plants than anywhere else in the country. Both areas are seeking sustainable management of their environments in coordination with their GMS partners.
The Chinese regions of the GMS have been active participants in human resource development. Yunnan and Guangxi have conducted cross-border health cooperation programs, and short-term training courses in numerous fields. Government scholarships have also been offered to GMS students, and a great number of educational exchanges have been held. Yunnan and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region also cooperate with their GMS partners on migration issues, the protection of women and indigenous groups, and youth development.
Yunnan and Guangxi have in recent years upgraded their telecommunication connections with Myanmar, Lao PDR, and Viet Nam. Work is also underway to expand Internet links to Thailand.
The two Chinese regions of GMS are home to a vast array of popular tourism sites, not only for domestic tourism, but also for visitors from surrounding GMS countries. Guangxi, for example, is a top destination for visitors from Viet Nam. In Yunnan, tourism infrastructure is being developed with a focus on community participation. Both Guangxi and Yunnan are developing meeting and convention tourism that draws visitors from GMS countries.
Trade between neighboring GMS countries and the Yunnan and Guangxi regions of PRC has grown exponentially in the last ten years. Myanmar, Viet Nam and Thailand are top trading partners of Yunnan, and comprise a significant proportion of their trade. Yunnan and Guangxi have coordinated on enhancing cross-border trade with their GMS neighbors, and have acted as a gateway to greater trade with the PRC.
In the area of transport, Yunnan and Guangxi have played an important role in the development of road networks, and economic corridors, that bind the Greater Mekong Subregion together. This includes the Yunnan Expressway (Chuxiang–Dali), and the Southern and Western Yunnan roads. The expansion of rail services has also been a key aspect of Yunnan and Guangxi’s contribution to transport in the subregion. The Singapore-Kunming rail project is another important link in the GMS transport system.
The Asian Development Bank recently moved from an infrastructure-based support model for the People's Republic of China to a model that will improve the quality of economic growth by underlining environmental protection and social sector development.
This report presents the findings of the assessment of the People's Republic of China component of the Greater Mekong Subregion economic corridors.
This publication highlights how the Greater Mekong Subregion Core Environment Program has contributed to sustainable development over the last decade.
The Greater Mekong Subregion Working Group on Agriculture held its 15th meeting on 29–30 May 2018 in Pu’er, Yunnan Province in the People’s Republic of China.
This is the summary of proceedings of the 23rd Meeting of the Regional Power Trade Coordination Committee in Vientiane, Lao People’s Democratic Republic on 13-15 December 2017.
This is the summary of proceedings of the 22nd Meeting of Regional Power Trade Coordination Committee held in Chengdu, People’s Republic China on 19–21June 2017.
This energy sector assessment, strategy, and road map documents the current assessment and strategic investment priorities of ADB and the governments of the Greater Mekong Subregion countries in the energy sector.
The 15th Meeting of the Greater Mekong Subregion Working Group on Human Resource Development was held on 13-14 December 2016 in Kunming, Yunnan Province, People’s Republic of China.
The 38th Meeting of the Greater Mekong Subregion Tourism Working Group was held on 8 December 2016 in Kunming, Yunnan Province of the People’s Republic of China.
The Twentieth Meeting of the Subregional Transport Forum (STF-20) was held in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, People’s Republic of China on 29–30 June 2016.