Central China's Henan province is eyeing greater opening-up through its participation in the Belt and Road Initiative, striving to build a "highland" of opening-up in the inland area, according to a local official.

Over the past decade, Henan has steadily increased its involvement and influence within the BRI. Zhang Min, vice-governor of the province, noted that Henan has seen increasing activities across four key areas: air, land, digital and sea.

This includes notable advancements at Zhengzhou Airport in the provincial capital, robust connectivity through China-Europe freight trains to multiple overseas destinations, a thriving cross-border e-commerce sector, and improvements in intermodal transportation to expedite exports through shipping.

Zhang noted that Henan has also prioritized institutional innovation to build its open economy, adding that the China (Henan) Pilot Free Trade Zone has implemented 546 reform and innovation measures, with 16 being promoted nationally.

In 2022, Henan's total foreign trade value exceeded 850 billion yuan ($118 billion), maintaining its position as the top-performing province in central China for the 11th consecutive year.

Cultural exchanges play a crucial role in Henan's international engagement. The province has leveraged its rich cultural heritage to create internationally recognized brands around Chinese kung fu and the Yellow River. It has fostered deep cultural ties with over 100 Belt and Road countries and regions.

"Now, Henan is poised to take its involvement in the BRI to a new level," said Zhang.

The province will prioritize high-quality participation in this initiative, continue to implement its strategy of institutional opening-up, and capitalize on its market size, human resources, industrial base, transportation advantages and open channels, Zhang noted.

Henan aims to innovate in terms of regulations, standards, management and rules, establish a high-quality opening-up framework and become an inland hub of opening-up, he added.

The province will also strengthen key infrastructure development to foster logistics advantages, establish a comprehensive opening-up system around its four key areas of air, land, digital and sea, and further integrate into the global industrial and supply chains, Zhang said.