Two Sessions in Guangxi

Chongzuo border town links China with ASEAN market

By Huang Zhaohua (China daily)
Updated: 2010-09-04 09:47

Puzhai, a township of Chongzuo in south China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, is now the nation's largest Vietnam border trade center.

Vietnamese workers unload goods from a truck. With bilateral trading growing, more Vietnamese work in Puzhai. Provided To China Daily

The area handles about 2 million yuan in foreign transactions daily. It is a key economic corridor linking China with the entire ASEAN market.

Each day some 300 tons of goods are exported to Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia from Puzhai. Average annual trade volume surpasses 1 billion yuan.

The previously tiny township continues to attract more and more investment from home and abroad. Guangdong, Sichuan, Heilongjiang and Shaanxi provinces, as well as several ASEAN countries all conduct trade in the region.

Fruit takes up the lion's share of imports from Vietnam, with watermelon and longan alone accounting for more than 70 percent.

Chongzuo's 533 km international border lends it a distinct advantage. Since it was founded in 2003, the city has topped Guangxi in foreign trade for six consecutive years.

Exports rose 92.3 percent to nearly $380 million last year. Imports stood at more than $42 million in 2009, an increase of 11 percent from 2008.

Foreign trade increased 68.53 percent to more than $1.5 billion in the first half of this year.

The government has invested more than 1 billion yuan in Chongzuo infrastructure construction and urban expansion.

China's first expressway to ASEAN stretches from Nanning to Youyiguan bordering Vietnam, and runs through Chongzuo.

As well, a cross-border trade corridor starting from Nanning to Singapore also covers Chongzuo as well as Vietnam and Thailand, which has reinforced Chongzuo's pivotal position in trade with ASEAN.

"In addition to an advantageous location, the city also boasts well-established industrial foundations," said Wang Zhigang, a strategic planning expert.

Entrance to a logistics industry park in Guangxi. Provided To China daily

Chongzuo houses Southeast Asia's largest fruit foreign trade center, redwood household furniture market and Chinese herbal medicine distribution center.

Fruit dealer Li Jiaxin noted that his monthly income rose to 10,000 yuan after he began trading in the region.

Xie Xiang, a businessman from Shaanxi province previously conducted fruit trade with Moscow.

However, after reading about the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area, Xie said he knew the Chongzuo market held more potential.

Fruit retailer Ye, has conducted business in Puzhai for more than 10 years. A growing number of dealers from other cities are coming to Chongzuo, he confirmed.