On November 24, a press conference held by Information Office of the People’s Government of Yunnan Province and Yunnan Development and Reform Commission announced Yunnan province’s brilliant achievements made in economic and social development during the 13th Five-Year Plan period. 

Two decisive achievements

According to the press conference, 88 poverty-stricken counties and all the rural residents under the poverty line in Yunnan province have got rid of poverty. 1.5 million people have removed from the natural disadvantaged living environments. 11 directly-entering-socialism ethnic groups and ethnic groups with a total population of less than 300,000 have overcome poverty as well. 

Yunnan province’s GDP and income of urban and rural residents have doubled that of 2010, reaching the goal ahead of time. Most of the 28 major targets for economic and social development set out in the 13th Five-Year Plan have been met or exceeded. Half of the province's population now lives in cities or towns. The economic development speed of ethnic minority areas is higher than the provincial average level. 

A significant strategic achievement

Yunnan has made effective efforts in quickly controlling and preventing the COVID-19 pandemic, backing up Xianning city of Hubei province and cutting off all import channels of novel coronavirus from overseas to resolutely guard the gate to the southwest of China. 

Five historic breakthroughs

The economic aggregate of Yunnan province has made a historic breakthrough, reaching 2.32 trillion in 2019. Its annual economic growth rate is more than 2 percentage points higher than the national average, ranking among the top in China. 

In terms of industrial restructuring, the service sector has accounted for half of Yunnan's economy, and energy industry has become as important as tobacco industry which was once the dominant. Instead of relying mainly on investment as the driving force for economic growth, consumption has become another driving force. 

The third breakthrough has happened in infrastructure construction field. As Nanning-Kunming High-Speed Railway and Shanghai-Kunming High-speed Railway opened to operation in 2016, Yunnan has entered the era of high-speed rail. Sixteen prefectures (cities) and 110 counties (cities and districts) of Yunnan have had access to expressways. Five thousand kilometers of new expressways will be completed in the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan period, 1.25 times longer than that of the 12th Five-Year Plan. The China-Myanmar oil and gas pipeline and full coverage of 4G network in the whole province has been set up.

Yunnan performs well in ecological conservation as well. The water quality of Erhai Lake and Dianchi Lake has become better in recent years and that of Caohai Lake is the best in 30 years. Lakes whose water quality is classified as inferior V reduced from 4 in 2015 to 1 in 2020. The forest coverage rate has increased to 62.4% and the number of days with good air quality in cities where the state and municipal governments are located has peaked at 98.6%, reaching the second-level national standard for 3 consecutive years. 

The fifth historic breakthrough was made in improving people's well-being. The percentage of  schools’ enrollment versus graduation has reached 95% and 129 counties (cities and districts) have achieved basic and balanced development of compulsory education. Yunnan University is already in the first batch of 42 world-class universities in China. Yunnan has been included in 8 pilot provinces of national regional medical centers and 4 provincial regional medical centers are under construction. A social security system covering all urban and rural residents has been basically established, and 88 percent of people are involved in it. Public libraries and culture centers have provided services for people living in counties, cities or districts. 

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(Editors: Alison, Christine)