四川地處內陸腹地，是中國人口大省。其特殊的地理環境造成當地氣候溫潤，土壤肥沃，成為中國農業大省。然而，封閉的地形也對貿易與信息交流帶來不便。交通不暢通一直是制約四川經濟發展的障礙。長年來，中央和省政府投巨資在交通基礎設施建設上。「十五」期間，鐵路、公路、機場、河道的工程相繼完成、擴建與完善大大改善了進出四川與川內各地之間的聯繫。只有交通順暢了，才能進一步發展工業。「十一五」的目標之一就是把四川建成為西部加工基地，承接東南沿海等發達省份轉移來的製造業。旅遊業是四川的另一個支柱產業，如何轉變資源優勢為競爭優勢是四川省面臨的挑戰。對香港而言，四川是香港公司進入西部內陸省份的平台。雖然目前西部整體的投資環境不如港人所熟知的珠三角和長三角區域，然而，從長遠看，西部的豐富自然資源、廉價原料與人力，以及巨大內需市場都預示未來經濟潛力。基礎設施建設、城市發展規劃、產業重組、高科技人才培訓、中藥開發研製、食品加工、旅遊設施建設、運輸及物流、銀行金融保險等領域，都是港商真正的商機所在。

The Pan-Pearl River Delta Region and Hong Kong under the Eleventh Five-year Plan Research Series: VII. Sichuan and Hong Kong

Located in the interior of mainland China, Sichuan is one of the most populated provinces of the country. It is topographically diverse and has a warm, humid climate and rich soil, making it a major national base for agricultural production. However, its relative isolation poses difficulties for the exchange of commodities and information between Sichuan and the outside world. Transportation remains a big obstacle to the province’s economic development. One of the biggest accomplishments during the Tenth Five-year Plan (2001-2005) period has been the improvement of Sichuan’s transport network. Only when smooth transport and communications links within the province and between Sichuan and other provinces is achieved, can Sichuan make progress on its plan to coordinate its efforts with those of other provinces in southeastern China to create a new western China manufacturing base. Tourism is a major area of focus in Sichuan; the local government must therefore address the issue of how to become competitive in this sector. Sichuan, an early beneficiary of the central government’s policy to develop the western regions of the country, could be the gateway for Hong Kong companies to venture into China’s west. Although the overall investment environment of western China lags far behind that of the Pearl River Delta and Yangzi River Delta regions, with which Hong Kong companies are more familiar, the western region’s abundant natural resources, cheap materials and labour, and huge market, mean that this region has great long-term economic potential. Huge investment opportunities for Hong Kong companies are to be found in the following areas: infrastructure construction, urban development, industrial restructuring, high-technology professional training, herbal medicine research and development, food processing, the construction of tourist facilities, transportation and logistics, and banking, finance, and insurance.