Written by Wang Gongqing / Translated by Wang Chengying

Nanning to Build a New Pattern of Connectivity by Integrating Soft and Hard Strengths

Written by Wang Gongqing / Translated by Wang Chengying

Nanning boasts exceptional geographical advantages: it is a transportation junction close to the sea, the border and the river. As always, Nanning has made plentiful and substantial achievements through the construction of infrastructure connectivity: Nanning has been built into an open gateway city in southwest China, and one of the Chinese cities which are most familiar to ASEAN countries.

In recent years, Nanning always focuses on creating harbor network, expressway network, railway network, airline network and information network. At present, the construction of China-ASEAN Information Harbor is being accelerated, and early results will be achieved in the near future. Nanning will take full advantage of new opportunities and comprehensively promote the construction of regional international comprehensive transportation hub, build a key gateway connecting the Belt and Road and a strategic fulcrum in the southwest and south central regions of China oriented towards ASEAN.

Laying a foundation through hardware connectivity

With the offi cial launching of Nanning-Bandar Seri Begawan international air-based route, Nanning Airport’s aviation services have been accessible to all ASEAN states. In fact, the planning layout of direct routes is just an epitome of connectivity between ASEAN and China. Strengthening the construction of hardware like transportation infrastructure related to sea, land and air connecting to ASEAN is the fi rst step to realize connectivity with ASEAN.

After years of efforts, with regard to land-based routes connecting to ASEAN, two border exit routes, i.e. Nanning-Youyiguan Expressway, and Fangchenggang-Dongxing Expressway, have been completed and open to traffic, in particular, Nanning-Youyiguan Expressway is regarded as a “golden passageway” between China and Vietnam and even Southeast Asian countries. Nanning-Hanoi international passenger train began to be available again on January 1, 2009; Nanning-Singapore road channel is completed, making self-driving travel from China to ASEAN possible.

With regard to sea-based route connectivity, as a golden water route of the Xijiang River and the core city of Beibu Gulf Economic Zone, Nanning has also made great strides in the construction of water-based routes. On July 10, 2014, Niuwan Work Zone and Liujing Work Zone of Nanning Port were put into operation at the same time, which is an important step for Nanning to construct intensive and modern ports. On July 30, 2015, 500-DWT container ship passed the lock of Guangxi’s Yujianglaokou, the important node of the Xijiang River. Furthermore, Nanning focuses on accelerating the construction of ports and piers, promoting Pinglu Canal planning and construction, linking ports in Beibu Gulf and strengthening river-ocean combined transportation.

A three-dimensional transportation network interweaving sea, land and air is being formed gradually in Nanning. In the future, Nanning will forge a modern and comprehensive transportation network integrating railways, highways, air routes and sea routes, as well as continuously strengthen infrastructure connectivity with ASEAN countries.

In terms of aviation, airlines from Nanning to main cities of ASEAN will be available in 2016, and thus to form an aviation center oriented towards ASEAN, and build an international airport hub facing toASEAN. On land routes, all the parties involved will endeavor to start the construction of east route and central-east route of Trans-Asia Railway as soon as possible, and form a great transportation channel leading to ASEAN, i.e. Nanning-Hanoi-Phnom Penh-Bangkok-Kuala Lumpur-Singapore. On sea routes, on the basis of Beibu Gulf Regional International Shipping Center, the maritime access leading to ASEAN and countries along the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road will be built.

The completion of these significant transportation infrastructures will realize connectivity between Nanning and ASEAN countries, and make Nanning an important passage between China and ASEAN.

Promoting perfection through software connectivity

The construction of software connectivity is seen as the enhancement of the infrastructure connectivity. Over the past two years, information infrastructure is the prior fi eld in the construction of China-ASEAN software connectivity. With joint efforts of ASEAN countries and China, besides the realization of connectivity on highways, railways and sea routes, cooperation in the information fi eld between the two sides has been strengthened continuously. At present, Internet is becoming an “Information Silk Road”connecting ASEAN countries with China, and the China-ASEAN Information Harbor is developing in Nanning.

“China-ASEAN Information Harbor aims to set up a ‘network’ for connectivity between ASEAN countries and China, and thus to build interconnected ports and roads,” said Lu Wei, Director of China National Internet Information Offi ce.

In September 2014, at the 1st China-ASEAN Network Space Forum, China put forward the initiative of “building China-ASEAN Information Harbor and jointly constructing the community of shared network space”, which was highly appreciated and positively echoed by the participants. The unveiling ceremony of China-ASEAN Information Harbor Base was officially held at China-ASEAN Information Harbor Forum in September 2015. In April 2016, the construction of China-ASEAN Information Harbor started completely, and some key projects, based on Guangxi and oriented towards ASEAN, are implemented in succession.

It is learned that China-ASEAN Information Harbor is committed to building the China-ASEAN information hub integrating the big data of commerce and trade, tourism, economy, culture and education, and creating the China-ASEAN comprehensive cooperation platform, one-stop information exhibition platform, transaction service platform and E-commerce platform through the utilization of “Internet +”.

At present, Nanning is giving great impetus to the construction of China-ASEAN Information Harbor. Wuxiang New District is selected as a cluster site for the construction of Nanning’s core base. In accordance with the cluster space development ideas of “one zone with multiple parks”, top priority is given to the construction of the headquarters in Wuxiang New District and the layout of some information projects such as communications infrastructure, cross-border E-commerce, Beidou satellite navigation, Internet finance, cyber security, network culture, with a view to forming a information service cluster facing to AESAN and the southwest and central south of China.

As a green city in the south of China, depending on the unique advantage of connecting ASEAN, Nanning is a network integrating port, expressway, railway, airline and information. The pattern of connectivity between ASEAN and China is increasingly expanding, and multi-dimensional connectivity is being strengthened. Looking to the future, Nanning will become an indispensable core force for boosting ASEAN-China cooperation by virtue of development opportunities brought via CAEXPO, Beibu Gulf Economic Zone, and the “21st Century Maritime Silk Road”.