Guangxi has historic chance for growth

The Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, with great achievements in the 60 years since its founding, should continue its reform and opening-up to bring the people more benefits, a senior official said on Monday.

The region, which is home to the largest number of ethnic minorities in China, marked its 60th anniversary on Monday. At a ceremony held in Nanning, the capital, top national political adviser Wang Yang said Guangxi faces historic development opportunities in the new era.

He said President Xi Jinping visited Guangxi in 2017 and issued a series of instructions that have guided the future development of the region.

During the trip, Xi urged Guangxi to capitalize on its advantages and play a bigger role in the Belt and Road Initiative. He said Guangxi should make full use of its geographical location and the potential of its coastlines, rivers and border areas to promote opening-up.

Wang was heading a central delegation that arrived on Sunday to attend festivities marking the anniversary of the region's founding. The delegation presented the region with mementos, including a plaque with an inscription by Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

Wang spoke highly of Guangxi's achievements. "The region's GDP, back in 1958, was only 2.5 billion yuan ($360 million) but surged… to nearly 2.04 trillion yuan last year, seeing a boom both in the economy and society."

Guangxi, with sea and land links to Southeast Asia, has cast itself as an important gateway to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

ASEAN has been the region's largest foreign trade partner for 17 years. Guangxi's trade with ASEAN reached 189 billion yuan in 2017 with an annual growth of 27.1 percent in the past 15 years.

On Monday, Guangxi marked its anniversary with performances and exhibitions. Residents also were given Monday and Tuesday off.

Sheng Xuan, a freshman at Guangxi University, was impressed. "My university just saw its 90th anniversary last week and now we welcome our region's 60th birthday," she said. "Though there's still a gap compared with cities like Beijing and Shanghai, we have our distinctive culture, making the region a special memory for us."