Monday, June 9, 2025

 Hunan Province a powerhouse.

By VIOLET MENGO

Changsha, China

I arrived in Changasha in Hunan  Province today June 9, 2025 for a five day tour of the province under the media fellowship of the China International Press Communication Centre (CIPCC).

Hunan is located in the central part of China and in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. Since most of its area is south of Dongting Lake, it is called “Hunan”.

The Xiangjiang River, the larges river in the province, runs through the whole territory, so it is shortly called “Xiang”,

Since the ancient times, hibiscus has been widely planted in Hunan. Mao Zedong even praised Hunan with a poem. “The land of hibiscus is bathed in the morning sun”, so it is also known as the “land of Hibiscus”.

Hunan is the hometown of great men and a place that has produced numerous military leaders. It has magnificent mountains and rivers and profound cultural heritage.

With a population of over 73 million, ranking eighth in China, its total area is 211, 800 square kilometres, ranking 10th in China.

In 2024, its regional Gross Domestic Product (GDP) reached 5.3 trillion yuan ranking 10th in China, with a year-on-year growth of 4.8 percent. The economic development shows the characteristics of “overall stability steady progress, structural optimisation and improved quality”.

Hunan has several characteristics. First, it faces unprecedented strategic opportunities. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping has visited Hunan four times.

Strategic opportunities such as jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative, the Yangtze River Economic Belt and high-quality development in central China are intertwined.

National level platforms like the Hunan Pilot Free Trade Zone, the Pilot Zone for In Depth China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation and the World Computing Conference are gathering momentum.

Second, it has a solid industrial foundation. Hunan has six trillion- yuan industries, 16 hundred-billion-yuan industries and five national advanced manufacturing clusters.

The “4x4” modern industrial system is being accelerated, the low-altitude economy has created the Hunan model, green intelligent computing is accelerating its layout and the Intelligent empowerment for the ten thousand Enterprises” initiative is helping ten thousand enterprises take off.

Third, it has abundant innovation momentum. Hunan, ranking 5th in China, the number of full-time students is 1.9 million, ranking 8th in China. It boasts 3 “985 project universities, ranking third in China. The “4X4” Science and Technology Innovation Project is in full operation, the “1 +2” national laboratory system is being accelerated, the construction of Changsha as a global Research and Development hub and Xiangjiang Science City is in full swing. The investment in research and development funds of the whole society ranks nineth in China and second in central China.

Fourth, its investment environment has been upgraded. Expressways form a network, high speed railway form a loop and transportation hubs have taken shape. 


Electricity, computing power and power are providing efficient support . The Five-Good Parks are full of vitality, the Garden Hibiscus” fund is integrating forces and the Send Policies Solve Difficulties Services” action is helping enterprise wholeheartedly.

The business environment has achieved a three-year-level leap. The whole province and Changsha city continue to rank among the top in China and first in central China and western China.

I am glad to have visited Hunan Province for the second time, first being in 2012.


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