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China Developing Southwestern Sea Outlet
China is smoothing out traffic barriers from the landlocked western region to the southwestern sea-outlet in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, which faces the Beibu Gulf, in a bid to re-open an old shortcut for sea exports.
Advanced port facilities, processing factories, and roads are under construction in the region. Sea ports there are taking on a bustling scene, which very much resembles their past glory 2,000 years ago when ancient sea trade to middle and western Asia was prosperous.
Ancient Chinese merchants sent their goods from Guangxi to other Asian countries, to Europe, and to America. The busy sea route was known as the "Silk Road on the sea," which became deserted with the weakening of the national economy.
After the policy of reform and opening to the outside world was adopted more than 20 years ago, Guangxi has achieved rapid development and attracted an increasing number of business people from both home and abroad.
To lower transport costs, provinces in southwestern China began to send their export goods to Guangxi rather than the eastern coast as they did before. The shortcut will save 100-1,000 km of land journey for export freights sent from landlocked Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan provinces, and Chongqing Municipality.
China has so far pooled 100 billion yuan (12 billion US dollars) to improve traffic links, including railways, waterways, roads, and airports to help smooth traffic barriers in the resource-rich western areas, which boast the country's principal mineral reserves.
The Chinese government's strategy to develop the western region, which officially kicked off last year, is going on smoothly and swiftly, due to high expectation and credit. A number of highways and railways from inland areas to sea ports in Guangxi have become operational.
Improved transport facilities have also resulted in flourishing trade between southwestern China provinces and neighboring Myanmar, Viet Nam, Thailand and other countries.
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