Kunming is becoming more and more international. [China Daily]

The capital of Yunnan province will build itself into a gateway city for China's opening up to the Southwest before 2015, according to the Party secretary.

The capital, Kunming, is near the border with Southeast Asian countries and a transportation hub for the Southwest, making it an important trade center for the region, Qiu He explained.

It has rail links with Vietnam and road links with Myanmar, Laos and Thailand. It also sits between the ASEAN-China free trade zone and the greater Peal River Delta regional economic cooperation zone.

It is expected to play an ever greater role in Yunnan province's Gateway Strategy now that the Kunming-Bangkok highway is in operation, and work is progressing on the Trans-Asian Railway and the new Kunming airport.

The Kunming regional finance center is part of the Gateway Strategy, whose purpose is to facilitate trade with South and Southeast Asia.

To attract more investment, Kunming is cutting a broad path and looking to the Yangtze River Delta region, Pearl River Delta, Bohai Sea area and Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, as well as Japan, Korea, ASEAN, Europe and America over the next five years.

"The new airport is expected to be in operation by the end of 2011 and will be China's fourth-largest regional air hub, after Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. It will be able to handle 60 million passengers annually and is expected to improve Kunming's trade and travel links abroad," said Zhang Zulin, the city's mayor.

Kunming is paired with cities in almost 20 countries and more foreigners are coming here for studies, travel, or business.

Ma Yong, vice-head of the Yunnan Social Science Academy's economics institute, says he believes Kunming will become an international city and attract many foreigners, within five years.

Most international financial institutions are expected to set up branches here.