Hunan seeks new cooperation mode with Uganda

Sep 14, 2019

Hunan province features an advanced transportation system with air routes, high-speed railways, and roads reaching out in all directions.

 
As the hometown of Mao Zedong, the founding father of the People's Republic of China, Hunan province is known for rich resources and brilliant cultural legacy. Being friendly partners of a new type, the province and Uganda will pursue all-round economic and trade cooperation in agriculture, mining, electric power, tourism, and other fields.
 
Located in central China, Hunan covers an area of 211,800 square kilometers with four rivers running through it - Xiangjiang, Zijiang, Yuanjiang, and Lishui, and has sharp temperature differences in winter and summer. There are 14 prefecture-level administrative areas across the province, with a resident population of 73 million.
 
Hunan boasts a time-honoured cultural history. There were human activities here in the Paleolithic Age, and they planted rice here more than 12,000 years ago.
 
The province features an advanced transportation system with air routes, high-speed railways, and roads reaching out in all directions.
 
It also abounds in tourist resources, such as the Danxia landform, World Heritage Zhangjiajie and Langshan, Shaoshan scenic area where Mao Zedong's old residence is located, and the Yueyang Tower by the Dongting Lake, all of which are great tourist attractions.
 
The capital city Changsha is the political, economic and cultural center of Hunan province. A number of scenic spots in the city, such as Yuelu Mountain, Orange Isle, Tianxin Pavilion and Baisha Well, the food street at Nanmenkou and Taipingjie, and the Jiefanglu bar street, are popular with tourists from home and abroad.
 
China and Uganda have maintained a friendly relationship since they formed diplomatic ties on October 18, 1962, and leaders of both countries have made mutual visits many times.
 
Starting in 1960, the China-Uganda trade cooperation has a long history and solid foundation. The two countries also signed cultural cooperation agreements, and Uganda is a destination of group tour of Chinese citizens.
 
Hunan and Uganda have a good communication and cooperation basis, and Changsha and Entebbe are one of the two pairs of sister cities between the two countries. Moreover, Xiangtan University and Makerere University on each side have formed a partnership.
 
Against the background of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and Belt and Road Initiative, Hunan has been actively seeking new cooperation modes with Uganda and other African countries in recent years.
 
Uganda has a mild climate with an average temperature of around 22℃all year long. With Lake Victoria, the largest freshwater lake in Africa, to its south, the country has some famous scenic spots such as the source of the Nile, Queen Elizabeth National Park, and Kidepo Valley National Park. Hunan's cultural tourism industry, on the other hand, is poised to enter the trillion club.
 
The two sides are looking at immense cooperation space and great prospects in cultural tourism development.
 
As of May 2019, Hunan has invested $19.5m in Uganda, including $10.4m from Chinese investors and involving 4 enterprises.
 
Going forward, it will actively expand people-to-people exchanges with Uganda, deepen their sister-city cooperation, and accelerate all-round cooperation in the five key areas of agriculture, mining, industrial park, energy and electric power, and tourism.
 
It will also enlarge bilateral trade and explore ways to import more special and advantageous Uganda products. Meanwhile, Hunan welcomes the Uganda government and its enterprises to participate in the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo and will provide necessary support and facilitation.
 
 

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