Yunnan ungrades 24 ports for the �Belt and Road� initiative
Chu Donghua
In November, the bustling construction is going on in Mohan in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture. Every morning, large trucks laden with mangosteen, durian and other fresh tropical fruit from Southeast Asian countries form a long queue outside the port of Mohan, waiting for customs clearance before they can enter the vast Chinese market.
With its unique geographical advantages, the port of Mohan has become an important hub in the import and export of fruits between China and Southeast Asian countries. According to statistics provided by Yunnan Provincial Port Office, from January 1 to September 19, 2015, Mohan registered the crossing of 857,730 people (a year-on-year increase of 36.3 percent), traffic of 272,231 vehicles (a year-on-year increase of 33.4 percent) and a trade volume of more than ten billion yuan (a year-on-year increase of over 30 percent).
In recent years, with the construction of the Mongla (Mohan) National Key Development and Opening-up Experimental Zone and the China-Laos Mohan-Boten Cross-border Economic Cooperation Zone, the port of Mohan is becoming an important window in Yunnans opening-up to Southeast Asia.
Like Mohan, during the Twelfth Five-Year Plan period(20112015), all 24 ports in Yunnan have been playing important roles in linking China with Southeast Asian countries. By the end of this year, Yunnan expects to upgrade its port system to a more multi-dimensional, multi-level and diversified level, integrating highways, railways, waterways and air routes.
The upgrading of ports is bringing fresh vitality to Yunnans opening-up. In August 2012, the Ruili National Key Development and Opening-up Experimental Zone was approved; in July 2015, the Mengla (Mohan) National Key Development and Opening-up Experimental Zone was approved; in August 2015, in the presence of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Lao President Choummaly Sayasone, the China-Laos MohanBoten Cross-border Economic Cooperation Zone Common General Plan was signed, elevating the two ports(Ruili on China-Myanmar border and Mohan on China-Laos border) to an unprecedented height and promising more support for the two ports to participate in global economic cooperation.
The port operation achievements are not only inspiring local people but bringing confidence to the countries along the Belt and Road for cooperation and development as well.
From late May to early June, Rinku Ghosh, a reporter from The Pioneer of India, came to Kunming and Ruili with the Approaching Colourful Yunnan interview group. On June 28, she published an article entitled The Chinese Dragon Dancing with Neighbouring Countries on The Pioneer. She wrote: We deeply feel that the Chinese government is very earnest about the Belt and Road initiative and the revival of the Silk Road.
Rinku explained what she saw and heard in Yunnan to the Indian people: A huge amount of people and vehicles pass through the port of Ruili every day. With efficient electronic scanning, orderly operating checkpoints and simplified procedures have greatly reduced customs clearance times.
As the road, aviation, energy, water and Internet network become more functional, efficient, secure and reliable, Yunnan is enhancing its interconnectivity with neighbouring provinces and countries and its ports will further expand their influence.
