Kunming City

Found in Yunnan’s centre, Kunming is the province’s main commercial hub, as well as a manufacturer of machine tools, automobiles, and electrical machinery and equipment. Other major industries include tobacco, metallurgy, and pharmaceuticals.  Additionally, Kunming has a significant chemical industry with plastic, cement works, and textile factories. Trading non-ferrous metals, inorganic chemicals, tobacco and related products, and fruits and vegetables, foreign trade has been dynamic, rising 79.4% in 2009.

Accounting for almost half of GDP in 2009, Kunming’s services sector leads growth, followed by the secondary sector. Notably, a strong tourism industry has been important to the city’s economy. With plans to open direct rail services to Singapore around 2015, as well as railways and highways to Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos, the city’s economic future could soon see a major push. Accordingly, the city will likely pay attention to tertiary sector, strengthening transportation, logistics, trade services, and tourism.