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Provinces of China: Gansu

In the new material of Provinces of China series, we will talk about one of the most strategically important regions of the People's Republic of China, known as the "golden corridor" of the Silk Road. Here, deserts meet the snow-capped peaks of the Tibetan Plateau, and ancient Buddhist caves stand side by side with modern spaceports. We are talking about Gansu Province.

Gansu is a province in northwestern China, with a unique elongated shape stretching over 1,600 km. The province's territory covers approximately 426,000 km². Its capital is Lanzhou.

Interesting fact: Gansu is the longest and narrowest province in China. At its narrowest point, the province is only 25 km wide.

Gansu is a land bridge connecting central China with its western borders and the countries of Central Asia. Major caravan routes passed through the region, making it a crossroads of cultures and religions. Today, it is a strategic hub of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Interesting fact: Approximately 60% of the total length of the Great Wall of China (over 3,600 km) is located within Gansu Province. Moreover, its western sections were constructed not from stone but from rammed earth, and these ruins have survived to this day.

ECONOMICS

In 2025, Gansu's gross domestic product was approximately $197.2 billion, marking a year-on-year increase of 5.8%. Per capita GDP reached approximately $7,400. A key driver of this growth was its participation in the Belt and Road Initiative, which transformed Gansu from a peripheral region into an important transit corridor.

The province’s economy is based on industry, energy, mining, and agriculture. In recent years, Gansu has been actively modernizing its industrial sector and developing high-tech industries.

INDUSTRY

Gansu's industry has historically been based on mining and heavy industry, but is currently actively diversifying, emphasizing deep processing of raw materials and green technologies.

Mining and Metallurgy. Gansu is one of the main centers of non-ferrous metallurgy in China. The city of Jinchang is known as "nickel capital" of China. Here is one of the largest nickel deposits, as well as significant deposits of iridium, platinum, cobalt, tungsten, chromium, and other rare earth metals. These and other resources are actively mined, refined, and supplied to both the domestic market and for export.

Interesting fact: Jinchang produces over 90% of all nickel and cobalt in China, making the city critically important to the country’s industrial sector.

Petrochemical industry. Gansu ranks first in the country in coal, oil, and natural gas reserves. Large processing plants, part of PetroChina, operate here. The main petrochemical hub is Lanzhou, where fuel, plastics, synthetic rubber, and chemical fibers are produced.

Energy. Most of the energy is generated by coal-fired power plants, but in addition to traditional hydrocarbon energy, Gansu is actively developing renewable energy sources. The desert and steppe regions of the province are ideal for wind and solar power plants. Gansu is one of the pilot regions for the creation of green energy bases.

Interesting fact: The world's largest wind farms have been built in the Gobi Desert in Gansu, with a capacity sometimes exceeding the province's entire electricity consumption, enabling the export of green energy to other regions of China.

Construction materials and equipment manufacturing. Cement, ceramics, cable products, and road construction equipment are produced extensively to support domestic infrastructure projects and the needs of neighboring provinces.

Agriculture. Despite the arid climate, Gansu's agricultural sector is experiencing rapid growth thanks to modern irrigation systems. The province is renowned for its fruit cultivation (particularly apples) and is also a major producer of dairy products and medicinal herbs.

Interesting fact: Gansu is China's medicinal treasure trove. The province boasts over 9,500 species of medicinal plants. It ranks first in the country in terms of planted area and production volume.

High-tech industry and the aerospace sector. The development of biomedicine, pharmaceuticals, and new materials is becoming an important area. Furthermore, the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, one of China's three main spaceports, is located in the Gobi Desert in Gansu. It is used for manned missions and satellite launches.

Interesting fact: In 2003, China’s first astronaut, Yang Liwei, launched into space from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.

TRADE

In 2025, Gansu's foreign trade turnover was approximately $10.3 billion, a year-on-year increase of 16.2%. Of this, imports totaled approximately $7.6 billion, an increase of 8.7% compared to the previous year. Exports in 2025 showed an impressive growth of 44.5%, the best performance among all Chinese provinces. Trade with countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative has seen steady growth, accounting for a significant portion of total trade. Imports and exports with countries co-implementing the initiative reached approximately $7.2 billion, an increase of 6.6%, accounting for 70.5% of total foreign trade.

The province maintains trade relations with more than 160 countries and regions worldwide, with Kazakhstan and Indonesia being its largest trading partners, with import and export volumes of $2.3 billion and $8.5 billion, respectively.

Exports primarily consist of non-ferrous metallurgy products, high-tech products, and highly processed goods. The main export items in 2025:

  • nickel
  • copper
  • colbat
  • electric vehicles
  • photovoltaic products (solar panels)
  • lithium-ion batteries
  • electronic components

Imports primarily consist of industrial raw materials, timber, and high-tech equipment. The main import items in 2025:

  • mineral raw materials (copper ore, nickel ore, iron ore, metal concentrates)
  • nickel matte
  • coal
  • petroleum products
  • agricultural products

INVESTMENT ACTIVITY

The province actively attracts foreign investment, offering preferential terms in special economic zones. The main investor countries are Singapore, South Korea, Japan, and Germany. Investments are directed toward industrial modernization, logistics, green energy, and high-tech industries. Аdministration of Gansu regularly hosts international exhibitions and fairs, promoting its export potential.

The province has a well-developed infrastructure for attracting capital. There is the Lanzhou New Area (China's fifth national development zone), home to clusters producing equipment for new energy sources and biopharmaceuticals. A key area is the Lanzhou New Area Comprehensive Bonded Zone, a federal-level zone for duty-free trade, warehousing, and cargo processing, with connections to Europe and Central Asia.

THE LARGEST COMPANIES IN GANSU PROVINCE

  1. PetroChina Lanzhou Petrochemical Company – the largest integrated oil refining and petrochemical enterprise in Western China, a subsidiary of PetroChina.
  2. Jinchuan Group – the largest producer of nickel and platinum group metals in Asia, and one of the world's leading nickel and cobalt producers.
  3. Gansu Provincial Highway Aviation Tourism Investment Group – the largest state-owned investment holding company in the province, controlled by the Gansu government. It manages the highway network and develops infrastructure, aviation, and tourism projects.
  4. Jiugang Group – a leading steel producer in Gansu Province and a key player in the metallurgical industry in Northwest China.
  5. Gansu Construction Investment (Holdings) Group – the largest construction and investment holding company in the province, involved in large-scale infrastructure and commercial projects.
  6. Baiyin Nonferrous Group – one of the oldest and largest non-ferrous metal mining and processing plants in China (copper, zinc, lead, and precious metals).
  7. Lanzhou New Area Commercial and Trade Logistics Investment Group – a key operator in the Lanzhou New Area Free Trade Zone, engaged in trade and logistics.
  8. Gansu Qianjin Modern Agricultural Development Group – the largest modern dairy complex in Gansu Province and a leader in private agribusiness.
  9. Lanzhou Lanshi Group – the largest manufacturer of petrochemical equipment in China, one of the flagships of the province's machinery industry, closely linked to the development of the region's oil refining industry.
  10. Lanzhou Gas and Chemical Industry Group – the province's largest gas distributor and a major player in the chemical products market, providing energy to industrial enterprises and residents of Lanzhou.

ATTRACTIONS

  • Mogao Caves. One of the world's largest complexes of Buddhist art, located in the city of Dunhuang. It includes more than 700 caves with ancient frescoes and sculptures created over a thousand years. The complex is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Interesting fact: In the evenings, Dunhuang hosts a light and music show that illuminates the facades of the Mogao Caves, creating the illusion that the ancient frescoes come to life.

  • Zhangye Danxia Mountains. A unique geological park known for its multicolored rock formations made of layers of sandstone and minerals. These "rainbow mountains" formed millions of years ago and are considered one of the most unusual natural landscapes in China.
  • Jiayuguan Pass. The westernmost fortress of the Great Wall of China, built in the 14th century. It served as an important defensive point and a gateway along the Silk Road.
  • Singing Sands and Crescent Lake. This unique crescent-shaped oasis is located in the city of Dunhuang. For thousands of years, it has remained hidden among the enormous sand dunes, which produce a singing sound when blown by the wind. According to Chinese experts, the singing of the sand is a resonance phenomenon.
  • Maijishan Grottoes. An ancient Buddhist cave complex carved into the rock at a height of over 100 meters. It is known for its numerous Buddha statues and unique wooden galleries connecting the caves.
  • Lanzhou is the only major city in China through which the great Yellow River (Huanghe) flows. In honor of this, the famous Yellow River Mother Sculpture, a six-meter granite woman and child, was erected here.
  • Lanzhou National Park. The park offers the best panorama of the city, the Yellow River, and the famous 600-year-old water wheels, which are still in working order.

Interesting fact: The famous bronze sculpture Flying Horse, which has become one of the symbols of Chinese tourism, was discovered in Gansu Province. The horse is depicted in flight, resting one foot on a swallow (the base of the statue), which looks up in amazement.

COOPERATION OF FEZ GRODNOINVEST AND GANSU PROVINCE

The administration of FEZ Grodnoinvest is actively developing cooperation with Gansu Province of the People's Republic of China.

FEZ Grodnoinvest regularly participates in key economic events in Gansu Province. In July 2023 the head of administration of FEZ, Dmitry Rozhkov took part in the 29th Lanzhou International Trade and Investment Exhibition-Fair as part of the delegation of the Grodno Region, where he presented FEZ's investment potential to Chinese companies, while leading regional enterprises, residents of FEZ, presented their products.

In July 2024, the management of administration of FEZ Grodnoinvest took part in the visit of the official delegation of the Grodno Region to Gansu Province of the People's Republic of China. As part of the visit, the 30th China International Trade and Investment Fair was held, where the stands of FEZ Grodnoinvest and Mostovdrev JSC were organized.

Preparations are currently underway for the participation of FEZ Grodnoinvest residents in the Belarusian-Chinese Forum of Regions, which will take place June 28-30 in Lanzhou, People's Republic of China.

Previous issues of the Provinces of China series: