During a press conference on October 23rd in Kunming, Yunnan Province, journalists learned that Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture currently boasts an impressive electrolytic aluminum production capacity of 3.43 million tons, making it the largest among all prefectures in China.
Ma Zhongjun, the Deputy Secretary of Wenshan’s Party Committee and the Governor of Wenshan Prefecture, shared promising economic data at the event. In 2023, the region achieved a gross domestic product (GDP) of 146.2 billion yuan, marking a growth of 5.1%. In the first three quarters of this year, Wenshan’s GDP grew by 6.3%, ranking first in the province. In recent years, Wenshan has accelerated its economic transformation with key industries such as green aluminum, Chinese medicinal herb ‘Sanqi’, modern agriculture, and health-oriented tourism emerging as the main drivers of growth.
Wenshan has begun establishing a comprehensive industrial chain that encompasses the entire aluminum sector—from raw materials and electrolytic aluminum to deep processing, applications, and recycling. In 2023, the output value of the aluminum industry reached 56.74 billion yuan, accounting for 47.9% of the province’s total. Looking ahead, Ma expressed ambitious goals: “We aim to develop three major green aluminum processing clusters, each exceeding one million tons for automotive parts, building materials, and consumer goods, with a target of reaching 100 billion yuan in green aluminum output value next year and 300 billion yuan in the future.”
Furthermore, Wenshan is committed to building a complete industrial chain for the Sanqi medicinal herb, integrating research, planting, processing, and marketing. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has recognized Wenshan’s Sanqi as a national featured industry cluster, and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has designated it as a distinctive industry cluster for small and medium-sized enterprises. In 2023, the area of Sanqi cultivation spanned 2.295 million acres, yielding a comprehensive output value of 35.2 billion yuan, both ranking first in the province.
In modern agriculture, Wenshan is focused on establishing a high-quality beef cattle industry base, a nationally recognized spice production hub, and a quality green modern agricultural products processing base. In 2023, the prefecture cultivated 1.76 million acres of chili peppers and 870,000 acres of star anise, both leading in the province. Wenshan beef has been recognized as one of Yunnan’s “Six Famous Cattle,” with cattle numbers and sales ranking second in the province. Additionally, 1.33 million acres of vegetables are produced, with about 30% of the vegetables sold to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area, positioning Wenshan as a vital “vegetable basket” for the region.
Moreover, the tourism sector in Wenshan is on the rise, focusing on world-class attractions like Puzhehei and Bamei while promoting the integration of health and tourism. There are currently over 60A级 scenic spots and more than 120 boutique homestays in the area, along with two national rural tourism routes and several outdoor leisure vacation camps. Grand Nan Liulang City and Qiu Bei’s Xianren Cave Village have become popular travel destinations. In 2023, Wenshan welcomed 46.49 million visitors, generating tourism revenue of 50.48 billion yuan.
