Economic Development in Gansu

Gansu, located northwest of China, is one of the significant strategic fulcrum of China's western development. Gansu Province is located in the core area of the Silk Road, with unique geographical location and resource advantages. With the implementation of the national Western development strategy and the promotion of the construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt, the economic development of Gansu has made great progress.

It is said that if you want to develop the economy, you must pave the road first. Gansu is one of the essential hubs connecting western and eastern regions. In recent years, transportation development in Gansu Province has made significant advancements, with continuous development of transportation facilities and an increasingly dense transportation network. Gansu is an important railway hub in northwest China. Lanzhou Railway Bureau is headquartered in Gansu, and Lanzhou is one of the largest railway hub cities in Northwest China. Railway trunk lines such as Lanzhou-Xinjiang Railway, Lanzhou-Chongqing Railway, and Ningxia Railway run through the province, connecting the northwest and eastern coastal areas. Secondly, the road traffic network is becoming more and more perfect. Gansu Province has implemented the “four horizontal and four vertical” (四横四纵) highway network planning, including Lanzhou to Xining, Lanzhou to Zhangye, Lanzhou to Jiayuguan, Lanzhou to Linxia, and other expressways, which has shortened the time and space distance between different places and promoted economic and social development. In addition, air traffic in Gansu Province has gradually developed. Lanzhou Zhongchuan International Airport is the only international airport in Gansu Province and one of the main foreign airports in Northwest China, with direct flights to many cities at home and abroad, which is convenient for tourists and business people to travel.

Gansu Province is a national water resources protection zone, Gansu is located in arid and semi-arid areas, and water resources shortage is one of the main problems restricting local development. To solve this problem, Gansu actively promotes water conservancy construction, constantly improves water conservancy facilities, and improves water resource utilization efficiency. Gansu Province has strengthened the construction of water conservancy infrastructure and built Liujiaxia, Jiudian Gorge, Bikou, and other reservoirs to solve the problem of water scarcity, improve the level of farmland irrigation, increase crop output, and ensure the stable development of agricultural production.

In recent years, Gansu Province has been committed to promoting the adjustment of energy structure, gradually reducing its dependence on traditional fossil energy, and increasing the proportion of clean energy utilization. We will intensify the development and utilization of wind, solar, and other new energy sources and increase the share of renewable energy in electricity production. Increase investment in transmission lines, substations, and other infrastructure to improve the coverage and transmission capacity of the power grid to meet the demand for electricity in economic and social development. In order to deal with the problems of energy shortage and environmental pollution, Gansu Electric Power's implementation and development also pay attention to energy conservation and emission reduction work. Through technology upgrading, equipment updating, and other measures, improve power generation efficiency, reduce energy consumption, reduce pollution emissions, and achieve sustainable development. Gansu and Sichuan also jointly build a "west to east power transmission" plan, in addition to Sichuan, Gansu power is also sent to Hunan, Shandong, Shanghai, Zhejiang, and other places through various types of direct current transmission lines.

In 2013, President Xi Jinping put forward a major initiative to build “Belt and Road” initiative across time and space, connecting the Chinese and foreign countries, Gansu has become a significant gateway for China to open up to the West, and the Silk Road has regained its luster. Gansu became one of the important nodes of the Silk Road and an important channel connecting East and West trade. The economic development of Gansu benefited from trade exchanges along the Silk Road. The opening of the ancient Silk Road made Gansu a significant hub of East-West trade and promoted the prosperity of the local economy. Gansu silk, tea, horses, and other products were exported through the Silk Road, driving local commercial activities and urban development.

With the improvement of transportation infrastructure and the construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt, Gansu’s geographical advantages have gradually emerged. Through strengthening cooperation with neighboring provinces and cities, a series of cooperation projects of the Silk Road Economic Belt have been created, which has promoted economic interaction and development among regions. Abundant mineral resources in the Qilian Mountains developed agriculture in the Lanzhou Basin, and animal husbandry in the Gannan Plateau all provide crucial support for the progress of the local economy. At the same time, Gansu is also actively developing new energy, ecological tourism, and other industries, providing new impetus for the optimization and upgrading of economic structure. With the construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the promotion of the Belt and Road Initiative, Gansu's development is getting better and better.