Investing in Guangxi means investing in the future, says official

On April 13, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Hainan Province jointly hosted a promotion event for Guangxi on the sidelines of the sixth China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE), which is being held in Hainan.

Wei Tao, chairman of the region, delivered a keynote speech, saying that Guangxi is enjoying the best period of development in its history. "Investing in Guangxi means investing in the future," he said, noting that this view is increasingly shared across sectors.

Wei Tao, chairman of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, delivers a keynote speech at a promotion event for Guangxi on the sidelines of the sixth China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE) held in south China's Hainan Province. (Photo courtesy of the organizers of the event)

Wei highlighted Guangxi's rich natural endowments, describing the region as a well-known "hub of non-ferrous metals." Reserves of nine non-ferrous metal minerals — including rare earths, antimony, indium and gallium — rank among the top five nationally, while timber output leads the country. About two-thirds of the sugar consumed in China comes from Guangxi, and the region has topped the nation in fruit output for eight consecutive years. It is also a major production and supply base for autumn and winter vegetables and live hogs, accounts for over 60 percent of the country's silkworm cocoon output, and is home to Liubao tea, a variety with a storied reputation across China.

Guangxi has cultivated 10 industrial sectors, each generating over 100 billion yuan (about $14.64 billion) in output, including non-ferrous metals, steel, food processing, paper and timber processing, petrochemicals, machinery, electric power, automobiles, electronic information, and building materials. The number of industrial enterprises above designated size has surpassed 10,000. Several product categories are among the top nationwide: Guangxi is first in loader and engineered wood panel output, second in internal combustion engines and stainless steel, and seventh in new energy vehicles. It is home to companies such as Liugong, Liuzhou Steel Group, Yuchai and SAIC-GM-Wuling, which have built strong reputations at home and abroad.

Geographically, Guangxi enjoys an unmatched gateway position given its proximity to ASEAN, Wei said, underscoring how the region's location is boosting its development momentum and unlocking significant potential.

Guangxi's open platforms — including the China-ASEAN Expo, the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, the China-ASEAN Information Harbor, and industrial parks along the border and near ports — connect China's 1.4 billion consumers with ASEAN's 700 million.

With the accelerated construction of the China-ASEAN Countries Artificial Intelligence Application Cooperation Center and the development of 10 modern pillar industries in manufacturing, Guangxi is entering a prime stage of development, Wei said.

Famous companies including China Minmetals, JD.com, 360 and iFLYTEK have established a presence in the region, further reinforcing the consensus that investing in Guangxi means investing in the future, he added.

Wei also praised the CICPE, calling it a signature global event that continues to grow in influence and serves as a vital platform for countries worldwide to tap into China's supersized market, while giving Chinese regions a broad stage to showcase their strengths.

Guangxi and Hainan, separated by a stretch of sea yet united by a shared commitment to opening up and national development goals, are well-positioned to deepen cooperation, he added.

"We look forward to using the CICPE as a bond and this event as a new starting point to continuously strengthen cooperation in institutional alignment, industrial linkages, corridor connectivity and artificial intelligence — and together write a new chapter of shared success for Guangxi and Hainan," Wei said.