In a recent press conference on October 15, the Deputy Secretary of the Baoshan Municipal Committee and Secretary of the Baoshan Municipal Government Party Leadership Group, Zuo Guang, shared significant developments regarding Baoshan’s strategic positioning as a critical port city. He noted, “In recent years, Baoshan has been pursuing a comprehensive plan for its development as a ‘major port city.’ The coordinated growth of ports, transportation channels, industrial parks, and urban areas is gaining momentum. In 2023, Baoshan’s total foreign trade import-export volume exceeded 10 billion yuan, reaching a historic high.”
Baoshan, located in western Yunnan province and bordering Myanmar, has long served as a vital hub on the ancient Southern Silk Road, making it one of China’s earliest frontiers for opening up to the outside world. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the city’s economy has doubled, surpassing 100 billion yuan, with an average annual growth rate of 8.6%. Additionally, the per capita disposable income for urban and rural residents has increased by an average of 7.6% and 11.2%, respectively.
During the conference, Zuo highlighted Baoshan’s expanding door to the outside world. The city has successfully launched the “Myanmar-Baoshan-Pupiao-Chengdu” combined rail and road transport service. The Hongqiao Port has been included in the provincial initiative for smart port construction, and Baoshan has cultivated the province’s first A-level 5A private logistics enterprise.
“Baoshan is dedicated to innovation in management systems and mechanisms, pioneering the ‘园中园’ (park-in-park) model that alleviates bottlenecks in attracting enterprises, forming industrial chains, and developing parks,” he stated.
Moreover, Baoshan has taken the lead in developing a green silicon photovoltaic front-end industrial chain, which accounted for 25% of the province’s total silicon photovoltaic industry output value in 2023. The world’s largest single multi-crystal silicon project officially commenced production this year, significantly boosting renewable energy generation, with green electricity now comprising 100% of installed capacity.
Baoshan is also refining its focus on local specialty products, successfully establishing renowned brands such as Baoshan small coffee beans, Longling purple skin Dendrobium, Changning black tea, and Teng medicine. Four out of the five counties and districts have earned the title of “Specialty Counties.” The coffee industry has achieved remarkable rankings in terms of premium quality and deep processing, hosting the 2023 International Specialty Coffee Industry Development Conference as well as the main event for the 2024 China Farmers’ Harvest Festival in Yunnan.
Additionally, the influence of the Tengchong Scientists Forum, hosted twice in Tengchong City, is expanding. In 2023, the forum attracted 112 academicians and 47 university presidents, and for the first time, the “Tengchong Science Prize” was awarded. The forum also facilitated 46 collaborative projects and secured 8 billion yuan in investment agreements. Baoshan has made significant breakthroughs in key core technologies in areas such as green silicon and biomanufacturing, with the output value of high-tech enterprises now accounting for 27.3% of the total gross production value. The intensity of R&D investment in Baoshan has also risen to the highest level in the province.
