Beibu Bay Economic Zone

Advancements for the Beibu Bay economic zone

By Huo Yan and Huang Feifei (China Daily Guangxi Bureau)
Updated: 2009-09-22 19:45
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As one of the region's three economic development zones in China's 11th five-year program for developing its western areas, The Beibu Bay economic zone has attracted a large number of investors and enterprises since its development plan was approved by the State Council of China's Cabinet.

With a population of 12.4 million, the zone covers Guangxi's capital city Nanning, and the three coastal cities of Fangchenggang, Qinzhou and Beihai. It is strategically located as the gateway to ASEAN with both land and sea routes into the region.

"The Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region continues to expand,and international cooperation to accelerate development of the planned Beibu Bay economic zone will benefit the whole world," said Chen Ruixian, an official in charge of the Beibu Bay Office.

According to Chen Ruixian, more than 170O overseas Chinese Businessmen from 20 countries and regions, including Asia, Africa, Europe, America and Oceania, are looking for business opportunities in the Beibu gulf.

Chen added that Guangxi has also proposed a Beibu Bay Cooperation Strategy. All of these have inspired fresh business opportunities for the autonomous region,and at the end of the first quarter,there were 2494 foreign-funded enterprises in Guangxi, with total investment reaching 23.047 billion US dollars.

Enterprises in Guangxi invested in by overseas Chinese Businessmen accounted for about 80% of the total of foreign-invested enterprises.

The areas of investment include hotels, real estate, tourism, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, feed, food, etc.