When Wei Yuan from Hunan, a minor official of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), wrote The Illustrated Gazetteer of the Maritime Countries, in 1844, introducing the rest of the world to the imperial court, he became the first Chinese to advocate learning about the West.

Wei is a role model, says Xiao Xiangqing, director general of the Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the Hunan government. Along with 70 colleagues, Xiao is working on an ambitious project to raise the profile of this central China province on the world stage.

"Unlike the coastal provinces of East China, Hunan lacks the advantages of location and infrastructure. But it is blessed with unique natural and cultural resources. Moreover, the Hunanese are known for their boldness and initiative," he says.