Xi’an fosters global trade hub ambitions
The ancient city of Xi’an aims to become a global hub for finance, innovation and cultural exchange, according to its mayor.
In February, Xi’an, the capital of Shaanxi province, was named China’s ninth National Central City — a title given to megacities whose strong scientific, socioeconomic and cultural influence can benefit surrounding regions and even overseas, according to the State Council.
Other cities to receive the title include Beijing, Shanghai and Tianjin.
“The title is a great honor and responsibility bestowed by the State, and a great opportunity for the city,” Shangguan Jiqing, the mayor of Xi’an and a deputy to the National People’s Congress, said.
“Xi’an has many unique geographical and industrial advantages that can support development in northwestern China, as well as the Belt and Road Initiative,” he added.
The city is home to 8.8 million people and its GDP was 747 billion yuan ($118 billion) last year, according to the city’s statistics bureau. More than 60 percent of its GDP came from the science and service industries, including advanced electronics manufacturing and tourism.
Xi’an is also one of the trading hubs on the land route of the Belt and Road Initiative — the same role it played during the Tang Dynasty (618-907), when the old Silk Road connected China with the Middle East and Europe.
“More than 50,000 foreigners live and study in Xi’an today. But during the Tang Dynasty, around 10 percent of the city’s population of 1 million were foreigners,” Shangguan said. “We’re trying to restore Xi’an to its former glory — a global hub for trade, innovation and cultural exchange.”
To achieve this goal, the city will strengthen business and industry cooperation with foreign countries, such as by building industrial parks with Russia, as well as Central Asian and European countries.
Businesses located at these parks will primarily focus on manufacturing advanced equipment and core components, as well as e-commerce and other high-tech industries, the mayor said.
Xi’an will also support strong local companies’ overseas expansion, “which will improve our industrial global competitiveness and brand influence”, he said.
As a city with more than 3,500 years of history that served as China’s capital for 13 dynasties, Xi’an has unparalleled advantages in promoting the nation’s historical and cultural heritage, Shangguan said.
As an inland city in the heart of China, Xi’an’s industrial scale, regional influence and globalization level remain relatively low compared with coastal cities, he said.
“However, tremendous progress has been made in the past few years, and we hope every visitor will feel the city is welcoming, convenient and full of opportunities,” he added.