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1. Brief Introduction
Kunming, nicknamed "spring city", the capital city and the only megalopolis of Yunnan Province with a population of 6.53 million, is located in the central Yungui Plateau in southwestern China. Kunming is an ancient city with a long history of more than 2200 years and enjoys a splendid culture. It is the third largest city in Southwestern China (just behind Chengdu, Chongqing), the center of politics, economy, culture, science and technology, and transportation of Yunnan Province, an important central city, tourism and trade city of the western region. Kunming is also the important hub city open to Southeast Asia, South Asia, and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in China.
2. Economy
As a strong economic city, Kunming is one of the national first-class logistics park layout cities in China facing Southeast Asian countries, the gateway city open to Southwest in China. And Kunming is trying to build to be a regional international city in China open to the Southwest. The market system of Kunming’s economic development has covered the whole province and the radius of resource operation has extended to the whole province.
Kunming has 3 economic advantages over other cities in southwest China: significant natural resources, a big local consumer market and a mild climate. Due to its position at the center of Yunnan, one of China's largest producers of agricultural products, minerals and hydroelectricity, Kunming is the main commercial hub for most of the province's resources.
Kunming's chief industries are copper, lead and zinc production. Its iron and steel industry has been expanded. Salt and phosphate mines around Kunming are some of the largest in China. Yunnan Copper Company Limited, based in Kunming, is one of Yunnan's largest mining corporations. From the late 1970s, Kunming's main industries also came to include food and tobacco processing and the manufacture of construction equipment and machines.
Kunming is also a center of engineering and the manufacture of machine tools, electrical machinery, equipment and automobiles (including heavy goods vehicles). It has a chemical industry, and plastics, cement works and textile factories. Its processing plants, which include tanneries, woodworking and papermaking factories, use local agricultural products.
Because of its location in the southwest of China, Kunming missed out on China's rapid economic growth in the 1990s. However, the city has recently received renewed attention, becoming an international commercial hub for South and Southeast Asia. The Kunming economic authorities are participants in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), promoting trade throughout China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam. Several railroads and highways have been planned to connect Kunming to areas of Thailand, Vietnam and Laos, providing access to seaports.
3. Scientific Research and Education
Kunming does a good job in scientific research and education. Kunming remains a major educational and cultural center in the southwest region of China, with universities, medical and teacher-training colleges, technical schools, and scientific research institutes. The city has more than 300 scientific research institutions employing 450,000 scientists and technicians. Included were 68,500 people with middle-level and senior professional titles. In 1995, the city achieved 60 research findings, of which one reached the "advanced international standard", 17 "advanced domestic standard" and 21 "advanced provincial standard". Famous institutes of higher learning and research include Yunnan University, Kunming University of Science and Technology and Kunming Medical University, etc.
4. Transportation
As one of the most important transportation hubs in western China, the city has well-developed transportation network, including highway, railway, aviation, subway and urban transport. The average vehicle ownership ranks first throughout the country. It is very convenient to other domestic and foreign cities from Kunming.
5. Pleasant Climate
Kunming is famous for its "spring city” with evergreen trees and flowers in bloom all the year round. Kunming held World Horticultural Exhibitions in 1999. It has a pleasant climate without chilly winter and hot summer-the typical temperate climate. The average temperature is 15 °C(59℉). The pleasant climate, the beautiful scenery and the rich culture make Kunming a very comfortable place to live in.
6. Tourism
Kunming has very beautiful natural scenery, which makes it a hot spot in the national top ten tourist cities and the first excellent tourism cities in China. It is also the first batch of national historical and cultural cities. There are more than 100 key scenic spots like the world natural heritage- Yunnan Stone Forest and more than 200 cultural relics protected by governments. Yunnan Province enjoys the most popular tourist resort.
Population: 6.53 million
Temperature: average 15 °C(59℉)
