Beihai City got its name from the fact it borders seas in the north. It is the earliest treaty port and one of the starting points of Sea Silk Road. With its important geographic position and a total area of 3,337 square meters, Beihai has been one of the major commodity distribution centers of carrying trade for Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, Guangxi, Hunan and Jiangxi historically. In 2008, Beihai’s GDP reached RMB 31.388 billion with a per capita GDP of RMB 15,988.
A land of fertile soil with ample sunshine and precipitation, Beihai is suitable for growing subtropical agricultural, forestry and economic crops. It is also rich in forestry, mineral and marine resources. Facing Hainan Province across the sea, close to Southeast Asian countries and reclining on the Southwest provinces of Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan, Beihai is situated in a pivotal place among the southwest, Hainan and Southeast Asia, and enjoys great advantages in geographic location.