“It’s slow living at its best, making this a very comfortable place to live in,” says Luo Yu, a businessman who moved here eight years ago from Shenzhen. “The air is clean and the people are very friendly, which is why a lot of people have chosen to move here now.”

Nanning’s green credentials are now shaping its future, with government policies looking to turn reputation into opportunity. According to the Nanning Green Planning Guidelines, for example, trees should be planted on road sides, and different tree types are used to distinguish different districts: highways running in east-west directions have palm trees to show the city’s tropical characteristics, while north-south highways are planted with vegetation that highlights the native Zhuang culture. Setting up rooftop gardens is now also highly encouraged, and green spaces must be incorporated into buildings exceeding 12 storeys.

Wuxiang New District is the green jewel in Nanning’s crown. It’s an eco-city due for completion in 2020 and boasting spacious residential high-rises along with state-of-the-art schools, sports centres, art galleries, a massive forested area and Wuxiang Lake Park, featuring a scenic expanse of water. With the goal of creating an international logistics centre catering to Southeast Asia, the district will be fully functional for businesses in two years’ time, housing headquarters for multinationals. There’s also a new tech hub in the Gaoxin district, modelled after the Zhongguancun technology hub spanning Beijing and Tianjin.