Boten Economic Cooperation Zone

Description

The Mohan–Boten Cross-Border ECZ is a large transboundary free-trade zone that today encompasses Boten as well as Mohan on the Chinese side of the border.

History

A border and frontier area, Boten has undergone dramatic changes over the past two decades. It has evolved from a remote border crossing (before 2000), to a booming casino town (2007–11), to a border-town experiencing a ‘bust’ (2011–15), and is now an active construction site and city-in-the-making (2016 – present), and considered part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).