Wenshan Zhuang and Miao autonomous prefecture focuses on sanqi production

Ma Zhongjun, a 14th NPC deputy from Wenshan Zhuang and Miao autonomous prefecture, said the prefecture is looking to the production and trade of an herb and the "green" aluminum industry to further boost local economy.

Wenshan, a major region where sanqi is growing, plans to improve the planting techniques and quality of the herb and better protect its germplasm resources, said Ma, also chief of the prefecture.

Also known as panax notoginseng, sanqi is mainly grown in southern China, including in Yunnan province, and is believed to help stop bleeding and alleviate physical pain.

Wenshan, located in the southeastern part of Yunnan province, is where 90 percent of the world's sanqi raw material is traded, according to Ma.

The prefecture is going to work with more pharmaceutical companies to expand the sanqi industry and strengthen research and development, he said.

The prefecture, which has lifted as many as 650,000 people out of poverty over the past decade, aims to increase the output of its sanqi industry to 100 billion yuan ($14.4 billion) by the end of 2025.

In 2022, the industry made an output of 31 billion yuan, creating long-term jobs for more than 20,000 people, according to Ma.

The aluminum industry is another pillar for the prefecture's growth. For the first 11 months of last year, the industry's output value reached 39.1 billion yuan.

The production capacity of aluminum electrolysis plants that have been or are being built in the prefecture is expected to reach 3.43 million metric tons, accounting for almost half of that within the Yunnan province, the Economic Information Daily reported.

"Greenness is the biggest character and advantage of Wenshan's aluminum industry," Ma said.

The industry, which uses green power, is expected to generate significantly less carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and other pollutants caused from using thermal power, according to Ma, who said the prefecture is working to further enhance the industry's output value.