A delegation of representatives of Finnish enterprises in China, which also included representatives of Finpro, Tekes and FECC, visited the autonomous region of Honghe in Yunnan province from June 9th to June 12th 2011 with the Finnish Consul General Eero Suominen. The purpose of the visit was to get acquainted with the region and its business opportunities for Finnish enterprises. Ni Xiaojing, Honghe’s vice-governor, was the host for the delegation.
The delegation met representatives of Yunnan Provincial Investment Bureau and Yunnan Foreign Office, as well as the governor of Honghe autonomous region and officials from several departments of the region’s administration. The delegation visited Kunming’s modern Steel Corporation KISC and Yunnan Power Grid Corporation which represented high technology.
The delegation visited Yunnan`s capital Kunming and the capital of the autonomous province Mengzi as well as the city of Mile and Yuanyang and Jianshui counties.
Yunnan is one of the poorest provinces in China. On the other hand it is rich of natural resources. The province has especially waterpower, forests and minerals. As for its location Yunnan provides excellent logistics towards Southeast and South Asia. Mining and metal industry, environmental technology, energy sector and tourism provide good business opportunities for Finnish enterprises.
Transport connections from Honghe, which lies in Southern Yunnan and boarders Vietnam, are excellent to Southeast Asia. The airport will be enlargened and the railways and roads will be improved. Honghe will be China`s corridor to Southeast Asia. Honghe also has extensive mineral resources, especially tin and mangan. Metal industry is thus an important industry in Honghe.
Yunnan is also an excellent tourist attraction. The province has natural beauty and its climate is very pleasant. Yunnan`s nature is of great diversity. The province has also many ethnic groups. For many tourists the northern part of Yunnan is well known. It was a surprise for the delegation how historically and culturally interesting places there are in Honghe and how rich and diversified the nature there is. Especially the terraced rice fields in Yuanyang are worth mentioning.
