Introduction to Anshun City

Anshun is located in central Guizhou Province, adjacent to Guiyang, the provincial capital. Often referred to as "the heart of Guizhou, the gateway to Yunnan, and the bridge between Sichuan and Guangdong," it is also known as "China’s hometown of waterfalls" and "the city with an average temperature of 21°C." Anshun governs six districts and counties: Xixiu District, Pingba District, Puding County, Zhenning Buyi and Miao Autonomous County, Guanling Buyi and Miao Autonomous County, and Ziyun Miao and Buyi Autonomous County, along with two county-level entities, Anshun Economic and Technological Development Zone and Huangguoshu Tourist Area. Covering an area of 9,228 square kilometers, it has a population of approximately 3 million. The city is renowned as an excellent tourist destination in China, a top summer resort, one of the country’s ten most beautiful cities, and a pioneer in climate-based healthcare. Anshun is also recognized as a national model city for ethnic unity, military support, public health, and environmental sustainability.

Anshun is blessed with stunning natural scenery and a favorable climate. Over 12% of the city’s area consists of scenic spots, rich in unique tourism resources. It is home to two national 5A-level scenic areas, Huangguoshu and Longgong, 13 national 4A-level spots, and 32 national 3A-level spots. Huangguoshu Waterfall is the world’s only panoramic waterfall, offering a 360-degree viewing experience from all angles, both near and far, from above and below. Longgong Scenic Area features China’s longest and most beautiful water-eroded cave and is known for its remarkable karst landscapes, earning the title of "a natural wonder." Anshun Ancient City, the first garrison city in Guizhou, was established during the Ming Dynasty’s "Transferring Troops from the North to Conquer the South" campaign. It blends rich history with a vibrant atmosphere, becoming a new cultural and tourism hub. Other notable attractions include Getu River, famed for its blend of karst landscapes, Huajiang Grand Canyon, known as "the crack on Earth," and Guanling Geopark, celebrated as a unique fossil treasure trove from the Triassic period. The city’s air quality is excellent, consistently above 99%, with an average summer temperature of 21°C and a comfortable climate lasting over nine months, making it a prime tourist destination and summer retreat for visitors from around the world.

Anshun also boasts a rich history and cultural heritage. Founded as a city in 1381, it is one of the earliest cities in Guizhou to establish county-level governance. The city is steeped in historical cultures, including Chuandong, Yelang, Zangke, Tunpu, Red, and various ethnic cultures. The Tunpu culture, a living relic of the Ming Dynasty, offers insights into national unity and ethnic integration. For over 600 years, the Tunpu people have preserved distinctive traditions, including wearing Fengyang-style Han costumes, using carved window lattices, performing ground operas, and creating ghost-faced nuo carvings, showcasing the grandeur of the Ming Dynasty and Jianghuai region. Anshun is home to numerous national intangible cultural heritages such as Anshun Dixi Opera, the Epic of King Yalu, the Twelve Tunes of Bronze Drums, and the Miao Flower-Jumping Festival. The city is also historically significant as a key stop on the Red Army’s Long March and the birthplace of Wang Ruofei, a revolutionary hero and one of the "100 outstanding figures who contributed to the founding of New China."

Anshun’s advantageous geographical location and transportation networks are key to its development. It is a vital hub in the New Western Land-Sea Corridor and a central city within the Central Guizhou Urban Agglomeration. The city is served by several expressways, including the Shanghai-Kunming, Duyun-Xiangyun, Huishui-Xingyi, and Renhuai-Wangmo expressways, with expressway access connecting every county and village. The Guiyang-Kunming Railway and the Shanghai-Kunming High-Speed Railway pass through the area, and with the completion of the Huangbai Railway, all counties will be connected by rail. Located just 93 kilometers from Guiyang Longdongbao International Airport, Anshun is within an hour’s reach. Huangguoshu Airport also offers flights to major cities like Beijing. The recently completed Huajiang Canyon Bridge, considered the best in both horizontal and vertical design, will soon open to traffic. Additionally, the Zhenning Bacao Wharf connects to the Pearl River system via the Beipanjiang River, providing access to the sea. Anshun has established a comprehensive "four-in-one" transportation network, encompassing highways, railways, aviation, and waterways, ensuring fast connections to the Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area.

Anshun is rich in resources and boasts a solid industrial foundation. More than 40 types of minerals have been discovered, including key resources such as coal, barite, lead-zinc ore, decorative stones, and geothermal energy. During China’s "Third-Front" Construction period, Anshun was established as an important aviation base. Today, it has the most complete aviation industry system in the province, with the capacity to develop and manufacture complete aircraft. Its aviation forging and casting industries are among the leading players in the sector. Anshun also hosts a number of high-quality development platforms, such as the National Anshun High-tech Zone, the National High-tech Industrial Base for the Civil Aviation Industry, and one of the country’s first comprehensive demonstration zones for the general aviation industry. Its strategic cooperation with the major aviation giants—the Aviation Industry Corporation of China, the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China, and the Aero Engine Corporation of China—continues to deepen.

Anshun is rich in renewable energy resources, including wind, solar, hydro, and thermal energy, positioning it as a key national energy base and one of the main power sources for China’s "West-to-East Power Transmission" project. Anshun is also abundant in biological resources, with 1,874 species of traditional Chinese medicinal plants identified. As the main production area of traditional Chinese medicinal materials in Guizhou, it is also the largest production base for Miao ethnic medicine in China.

Anshun has long been a leader in ideological innovation and reform. It has consistently been at the forefront of China’s reform and opening-up efforts. In 1956, Mao Zedong personally wrote the editorial for the "Seasonal Contracting" initiative in Zhenning. In 1978, the "Dingyun Experience" marked the beginning of rural reform in China. In 1988, Anshun became the site of a reform pilot zone for the coexistence and prosperity of various economic components. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Anshun has pushed forward comprehensive reforms in areas such as the economy, politics, culture, society, ecological civilization, and Party building. It has pioneered nationally and provincially recognized reform models, including the "Soldier Party Secretary" model. The city has also introduced innovative measures, such as the cooperative development of new energy stocks, a new agricultural finance mechanism, the "28 Assured Breeding" beef cattle industry model, and the New Citizens Housing Project. Additionally, the "Assured Work" human resource development and value-enhancement digital service platform, along with the "Smart Rural" platform for empowering grassroots governance, were both selected as part of China's Reform Annual Cases in 2023 and 2024, respectively.

In recent years, Anshun has actively aligned itself with national strategies. In line with Guizhou Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government’s directives, Anshun has leveraged its comparative advantages to plan and develop key projects. These include the Guizhou Aviation Industry City, a world-class tourist city, a new integrated energy base, the Guizhou Green Computing Power (Anshun) Base, and pharmaceutical and tourism food bases. The city is also working to establish a low-altitude economy development demonstration zone. As a result, a modern industrial system with distinct Anshun characteristics is taking shape, placing the city in a key position within the province’s industrial landscape. The foundation for high-quality development is solidifying, and the pace of growth is accelerating. In 2024, Anshun’s GDP reached 118.611 billion yuan, with industrial investment growing by 44.8%.