Wuhan rises as Yangtze River hub
City drives logistics and tourism in Central China


The Yangtze River Economic Belt, a key national development strategy, encompasses 11 provinces and municipalities, stretching across China's eastern, central, and western regions. It represents nearly half of the country's total population and economic output, highlighting its immense development potential.
Wuhan in Hubei province serves as a core city within the economic belt and plays a pivotal role in advancing the Belt and Road Initiative. With its unique Yangtze River shoreline resources, Wuhan has a distinct advantage in developing port-based hubs.
In 2020, the city took the lead in receiving approval to construct a national port-type logistics hub. From 2021 to 2025, it gained approvals for national logistics hubs in land ports, airports, commercial services and production services, making it the second city in China to host all five types of national logistics hubs.
Economically, Wuhan's GDP surpassed 2 trillion yuan ($281.4 billion) in 2023, becoming the first city in Central China to reach this milestone. In 2024, its GDP grew by 5.2 percent year-on-year, maintaining the leading position in Central China by total economic output.
Currently, Wuhan is accelerating the development of a core area within the Yangtze River International Golden Tourism Belt, aiming to offer a richer and more diverse experience in landscape and cultural tourism centered around the Yangtze River.