Yizhou cooperates with ASEAN in cocoon silk trade

Yizhou held a foundation laying ceremony for the construction of the Yizhou-ASEAN International Cocoon Silk Trading Center on Nov 18.

Yizhou government officials lay the foundations for the Yizhou-ASEAN International Cocoon Silk Trading Center on Nov 18. [Photo by Li Zhuoyuan/Hechi Daily]

Yizhou, a county-level city in Hechi, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, has been the largest domestic silkworm producer for the past 10 years, with more than 300,000 mu (20,000 hectares) in mulberry fields.

The project forms part of Guangxi's plans for the Belt and Road Initiative. The center has a total investment of 1.58 billion yuan ($229.2 million) with a planning area of 440 mu.

The first-phase of the construction will include a cocoon silk e-commerce transaction center, a storage logistics center, a commercial service center and a silkworm wholesale market. In the second phase, areas will be built for the silk wholesale market, a silk culture museum and residences, while the last phase will include a silk business center and supporting facilities.

Liang Ning, Yizhou mayor, delivers an address at the foundation laying ceremony for the Yizhou-ASEAN International Cocoon Silk Trading Center on Nov 18. [Photo by Li Zhuoyuan / Hechi Daily]

Yizhou Mayor Liang Ning said in his address at the ceremony that the project is an important embodiment of local business logistics and a platform integrating modern storage and specialized markets. It will help promote Yizhou's cocoon silk industry to be more professional, centered and international, and lay a solid foundation to develop Yizhou into a new Chinese silk city.