Kunming

Overview

Known for its temperate climate, beautiful surroundings and tremendous ethnic diversity, Kunming is the capital of Yunnan province. Because of its close proximity to Southeast Asia, the city serves as a hub for China’s growing trade relations with its southern neighbors. Members of the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) have elected to include Kunming in the organization’s proposed free trade zone. In an effort to help further facilitate international trade, the Yunnan provincial government is constructing a railway network linking Kunming with Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Malaysia. Despite its status as an inland city, the city and its industrial and development zones have easy access to sea ports such as Beihai and Fangcheng ports in Guangxi, which it is connected to via the Nanning-Kunming rail line. The results of increased inter-connectivity can be seen by the 300% and 350% increase in exports and imports respectively over the last five years. Kunming’s role as a regional hub is expected to help accelerate the city’s development.

Leading Industries

Yunnan province is home to rich deposits of phosphorous, salt, aluminum, copper, lead, zinc, tin and is well-known for its production of tea, rubber, and tobacco. Kunming’s key industries draw on these resources to manufacture steel, nonferrous metals, building materials, chemicals, diesel engines and machine tools. In recent years, the traditional economy has diversified through growth of advanced technology industries such as biotech, optoelectronics, and information technology. Many of these industries are located in the Kunming National High Tech Industry Development Zone. According to Dezan Shira and Associates, by the end of 2007, the zone boasted 3, 165 enterprises, of which eight achieved an annual income of USD $147 million. The total revenue generated from the zone was US $6.38 billion translating into US$1.36 Billion per square kilometer, ranking it second highest nationwide in terms of revenue per square km.

o Major US companies and investment/export opportunities in Kunming

o Development Zones

Trade Leads

The Commercial Service and its partner, the China Council for Promotion of International Trade, are constantly developing new trade leads. To search for leads in Yunnan and the north China region, visit our trade leads database.

Trade Shows/Exhibitions

Review trade shows supported by the Commercial Service in China.

Contact Information

U.S. Commercial Service - Chengdu

4 Lingshiguan Lu, Renmin Nanlu Section 4

Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China

Tel: (86-28) 8558-3992/9642

Fax: (86-28) 8558-9221/3520

Email: office.chengdu@trade.gov