Ｃｈｏｎｇｚｕｏ：Ａ Ｆｒｏｎｔｉｅｒ Ｃｉｔｙ ａｔ ｔｈｅ Ｆｏｒｅｆｒｏｎｔ ｏｆ Ｄｅｖｅｌｏｐｍｅｎｔ

ＸＵ　ＹＩＮＧ　ＬＩＵ　ＨＵＡＮＺＨＩ

WHILE Chinas eastern seaboard has been experiencing rapid development for close to two decades, the Chinese government has recently been taking steps to try and foster similar progress in other parts of the country. Chongzuo City, near Vietnam in Chinas far south, is an example of a previously obscure area that has started to undergo the kind of dazzling changes that cities like Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing have been experiencing for many years.

When Chongzuo was upgraded from a county to a prefectural-level city five years ago, it was a drowsy town of seven square kilometers and a population of 40,000. It had no modern enterprises and even few decent pavements. Today it has been transformed into a modern scenic city with business and residential buildings sprouting like mushrooms in the subtropical heat. Fourteen major roads, including the 80-meter-wide Friendship Avenue, now traverse the city, and outbound highways extend to the regional capital Nanning in the north and the Vietnamese capital Hanoi in the south. Five of the worlds top 500 companies, including Comilog of France and Sumitomo of Japan, have a presence in the town, as well as a number of prominent Chinese enterprises. Five years ago custom procedures for imports and exports through Chongzuo could take one or two months. Now they are completed within hours or even minutes, facilitating Chongzuos new position as a gateway to Southeast Asia. In short, Chinas youngest prefectural-level city is radiant with vigor and promise.