Yunnan's border counties to become border economic zones

Yunnan Province has issued its Development Plan for Border Economic Zones recently, aiming to develop its 25 counties bordering Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar into border economic zones.

According to the plan, the 25 counties are in Nujiang, Baoshan, Dehong, Lincang, Pu’er, Xishuangbanna, Wenshan and Honghe, with a total area of 92,500 square kilometers and a population of more than 6.9 million. The area has 18 national first-class ports approved by the central government and seven second-class ports approved by the provincial government, which serve to connect China with the Indian Ocean, Southeast Asia and South Asia.

The plan points out that the border areas of Yunnan are an important intersection for the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor and the China-IndoChina Peninsula Economic Corridor. Yunnan has established a series of cooperation mechanisms with border areas in Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar. Along the border, there are two national key experimental zones for development and opening up, four border economic cooperation zones and three cross-border economic cooperation zones. They will be an important carrier for further opening up and cooperation.

Yunnan’s three cross-border economic cooperation zones--Ruili, Mengla and Hekou--each bordering Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam, have become the key areas of Yunnan’s border opening-up economic belt.

Infrastructure construction is also one of the priorities of the development plan. Border highways and railways leading into neighboring countries will be built.