A Comparative Study of Guangxi and Yunnan Province’s External Trade with Their Neighbouring Countries (2009–2019)

This chapter examines provincial competitiveness, especially in the context of Yunnan and Guangxi, and the role these two provinces play in influencing foreign policy-making in China. The first section of the chapter discusses the geographical terrain and its impact on the infrastructure development of the two provinces. The second section gives a comparative study of the economic growth and external trade of Guangxi and Yunnan. The third section explores the role of neighbouring countries’ political economy in these two provinces. The research timeframe for this chapter starts from 2009, the year before the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (CAFTA) came into effect, to 2019, the year before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the global economy.