EVENTS

This book explores the ambitious policies and strategies implemented by Yunnan’s provincial government to establish transnational linkages with neighboring countries in South and Southeast Asia. Traditionally viewed as a landlocked and economically backward region, Yunnan has long been considered a "periphery" in Chinese development discourse. However, the introduction of the "Bridgehead" strategy in 2009 and subsequent national-level support, have redefined Yunnan’s role as a vital economic corridor connecting China to its Asian neighbors. It examines how provincial leadership has leveraged Yunnan’s geographical positioning and cultural diversity to foster growth. By focusing on infrastructure development, the cultivation of pillar industries, and cross-border collaboration, Yunnan has transformed into a hub for talent, capital, technology, and trade. Initiatives like developing border cities, promoting tourism, and creating urban economic zones have revitalized its historical role along the Southern Silk Road while integrating the region into the global economy. Unlike existing literature that predominantly addresses issues of ethnicity, folklore, and identity in Yunnan, this book analyzes its developmental strategies through the lens of economic restructuring and global integration. It highlights how local spaces near border areas have shifted from inward-focused stagnation to outward-oriented growth.

Chair

Patricia Uberoi is Emeritus Fellow at the Institute of Chinese Studies, New Delhi.

Editor

Ritu Agarwal is Associate Professor at the Centre for East Asian Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, and an Honorary Fellow at the Institute of Chinese Studies, Delhi.

Contributors

Eloise Wright is Assistant Professor of History and a member of the Ashoka Centre for China Studies, Ashoka University, Sonipat.

Abhishek Pratap Singh is Assistant Professor, Deshbandhu College, University of Delhi.

Ila Joshi is Assistant Professor, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, Noida.

Discussants

Govind Kelkar is Visiting Professor, Council for Social Development, and Institute for Human Development, New Delhi.

Swargajyoti Gohain is Associate Professor of Sociology and Anthropology, Ashoka University, Sonipat.

Alka Acharya is Director of the Institute of Chinese Studies, New Delhi.

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