Useful Info --- Guangzhou


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About Guangzhou

Guangzhou (formerly known as Canton) is the capital city and political, economic, scientific, educational and cultural center of Guangdong Province. With a history of more than 2,000 years, it is now a transportation and communications hub and is dubbed the “Southern Gate of China.”

Guangzhou administers ten districts and two cities with a total area of 7434.4 square kilometers and a population of approximately 7.2 million permanent residents and 3 million floating residents. Guangzhou has a subtropical climate, and enjoys the reputation of City of Flowers and Five-Ram City.

Being the Hometown of Fruits, Guangzhou boasts more than 500 kinds of fruit species, among which litchi, banana, tangerine and pineapple are called “four best fruits to the south of Nanling”. Guangzhou is also rich in tourism resources with many scenic spots and places with historical interests. It has 156 historical sites protected at national, provincial and municipal levels and several dozens of tourist spots

		Guangzhou is the economic centre of the Pearl River Delta, one of China's leading commercial and manufacturing regions. In 2007, the GDP reached ¥705 billion (US $92 billion), per capita was ¥71,219 (US $9,302), ranking 6th among 659 Chinese cities.

		The China Import and Export Fair, also called "Canton Fair", is held every year in April and October respectively by Ministry of Trading. Inaugurated in the spring of 1957, the Fair is a major event for the city.

Unique Advantages and Development Characteristics

		Guangzhou has superior geographic and regional advantages. From the international perspective, Guangzhou is located in the geometrical center of the economic rim of Southeast Asia and it is equidistant from Japan and Southeast Asian countries within a flight voyage of 3 to 4 hours in general. Guangzhou is an ideal international logistics and distribution base in this region. In terms of domestic position, Guangzhou is an open coastal city neighboring Hong Kong and Macao. It is the economic, political, and cultural center of Guangdong Province.

		Guangzhou has sound industrial foundations and complete supporting environment. It is an important manufacturing base in China. Guangzhou has developed 34 out of the 40 sectors listed in the national industrial category index. The modern industrial system featured by complete necessary sectors, comprehensive accessory capacity, stronger SciTech research ability and product R&D ability has shaken up and the city also has the capacity to take over the transfer of the international industries.

		Guangzhou has flourishing tertiary industries. Currently in the city, there are over 400 specialized wholesales markets, more than 15,000 institutions and 33,000 branches engaged in wholesales and trading. The number of retails stores throughout rural and urban areas surpasses 140,000. Currently, there are 2,595 business establishments of different kinds of financial institutions in Guangzhou. Foreign financial institutions have set up 30 branches and offices as well. The number of business branches of various insurance institutions reaches 142.

		Guangzhou has sound infrastructures. The sound comprehensive communication facilities in Guangzhou and the Pearl River Delta form a convenient communication network extending in all directions. Port Guangzhou ranks among the ten biggest ports in the world in terms of cargo handling capacity. Guangzhou New Baiyun International Airport is one of the three pivotal airports in China. A vast railway network inside Guangzhou has been formed such as Beijing-Guangzhou, Guangzhou-Shenzhen, Guangzhou-Maoming and Guangzhou-Meizhou-Shantou trunk routes. Guangzhou is listed among the three international telecommunications accesses in China, also one of the three cores of the domestic internet, as well as one of the international accesses, and even one of the three centers of internet exchanges in China.

A modern international metropolis with important inherent development conditions

		Since the initiation of reform and opening up, Guangzhou has laid a solid material foundation, with an increasingly strong overall economic strength. From 1980 to 1993, Guangzhou's GDP increased by an average of 13.98% annually, and its financial revenue increased by an average of 16.4 % annually. In recent years, Guangzhou's economic strength is growing steadily, ranking third in the nation. The steady and fast growth in economy has increased Guangzhou's development force and has enhanced its regional position, thus making it one of the nation's major cities with strongest force for opening up.

		Guangzhou has already become the centre of commerce, finance, communication, culture, science and technology in South China. With numerous commercial networks, complete ranges of trades and smooth circulation channels, Guangzhou has quick access to information and strong power of radiation. A pattern of big market, big circulation and big commerce has taken shape. The number of people owning commercial and catering and service enterprises within every 1000 and the total number of people working in commercial service sector ranks first among the ten major cities in the nation, close to the figure of such metropolitan cities as Hongkong and Singapore. Guangzhou's financial sector is developing fast. A relatively complete range of financial system has already formed. Guangzhou has become the central city in South China, which has greatest financing ability. In recent years, Guangzhou has gradually increased its investment in communication, transportation and telecommunication, having established a widely extending and well connected comprehensive communication network. The investment in science and technologies has been on the increase. In addition, there are also many research institutions run by the local people. International scientific and technological cooperation and exchange has been further strengthened. Its cultural undertakings have also boasted a sound foundation.

		With Hongkong and Macao in its vicinity, Guangzhou boasts to have a mountain ( Baiyun Mountain ) and a river ( Pearl River ), enjoying favorable climatic and geographical conditions. In today's world, there are two main trends -- peace and development, which create a favorable external environment for the Asian-Pacific region to achieve a steady and fast economic development. With the return of Hongkong and Macao, Guangzhou's radiating effect in the Asian-Pacific region will become increasingly great. Meanwhile, it will surely fastern Guangzhou's pace of becoming an international metropolis.

Cuisine in Guangzhou

Cantonese Cuisine

Cantonese Cuisine, one of the four main cuisines in China, enjoys great prestige for its LaoHuo Soup, which means the soup is usually cooked for almost 2 hours with meat and other kinds of things, and is always very nourishing and healthy.Cantonese cuisine draws upon a great diversity of ingredients. Besides pork, beef, and chicken, Cantonese cuisine incorporates almost all edible meats, including organ meats, chicken feet, duck and duck tongues, snakes, and snails. Many cooking methods are used, steaming, stir-frying, shallow frying, double boiling, braising, and deep-frying being the most common ones in Cantonese restaurants, due to their convenience and rapidity, and their ability to bring out the flavor of the freshest ingredients.

Science City –The Base of Guangzhou Hi-tech industry Development

		Guangzhou Science City is located in the east of Guangzhou and is officially started to be built on December 28, 1998. Its total planning area is 37.47 square kilometers. It is the core of Guangzhou Hi-tech industry Development Zone and the important base, the representative project and the economic growing point for the future development of high and new technology industry in Guangzhou. And it will be built into multi-functional modern new-type city area for leisure and tourism. The key industry guidance of Guangzhou Science City includes computer and software industry, biology and pharmaceutical industry, photoelectron industry, new material industry, environmental equipment industry, etc. As the key project of the future development of high and new technology industry in Guangzhou city and even Guangdong Province, and also as the important research and development and industrialization base of Guangdong provincial photoelectron information industry, currently a batch of high-level sci-tech projects have been established in GSC, including Taiwan Lite-on Science & Technology Park, Jinpeng Electronics, Southtec, Rowa Electronics, LG and etc..

		In accordance with hi-tech industrial features and its development requirement, the overall plan of GSC was worked out under the guidance of the overall urban planning programs for Guangzhou City as a whole as well as for its districts. With explicit sectional functions, reasonable layout of roads and division of lands, GSC can meet requirements of various types of Hi-tech projects.

Tour in Guangzhou

Guangzhou Baiyun Mountain

Located in the northern outskirts of Guangzhou, it is a famous scenic desination, which offers amazing sights of the city. The Mountain was called Baiyun (white cloud) because of the forming of a white cloud over its range, with an area of 28 square meters. Its highest peak is Moxing Peak, 380 meters above sea level. The mountain,home to verdant greens, offers breathtaking views of the Bird Paradise. The Park atop the mountain houses the Baiyun Wanwang Pavilion. Here, you can also enjoy many views of the local activities, like dancing, playing shuttlecocks in groups, kite flying, etc.

Museum of the Western Han Dynasty Mausoleum of the Nanyue King

				Located in Jiefangbei Road, Yuexue District, Guangzhou, Museum of the Western Han Dynasty Mausoleum of the Nanyue King, with an area of 1,4000 sq. m, is the witness of Guangzhou’s history of more than 2000 years. It is well known across China for its well-preserved original site of tomb and research-worthy funerary antiquity in Han Dynasty as well as the elegant and grand architecture in Lingnan (South of the Nanling Mountain) Area. The owner of the tomb is the second king, Zhao Mei of Nanyue State of the Western Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-24 A.D.). Hidden 20 meters (65.6 feet) underground, the tomb is made up of 750 huge stones with colorful murals. The over 1,000 pieces of cultural relics, bronze ware and terra cotta ware in particular, feature the Yue Culture of south China(Nanyue Culture). Represented also are traces of central Chinese culture, the Chu culture of south China, the Bashu culture of southwest China, the Hun culture from the northern grassland, and even foreign cultures.

Shamian Island

		It is formerly known as Shameen Island, from its Cantonese pronunciation. It is a sandbank island in Guangzhou. The territory was originally divided in two concessions given to France and the United Kingdom by the Qing Dynasty government in the 19th century. The island's name literally means "sandy surface" in Chinese.

		The island covers an area of 0.3 sq. km and is a gazed historical area that serves as a tranquil reminder of the colonial European period, with quiet pedestrian avenues flanked by trees and lined by historical buildings in various states of upkeep. The island is the location of several hotels, a youth hostel, restaurants and tourist shops selling curios and souvenirs.

		Various bronze statues are scattered around the island which depict life as it was during earlier periods on the island, as well as from more recent times. For example, one statute entitled "A gentleman, a lady and a darn woman" shows a Western couple watching a Chinese woman darning cloth. Another depicts the changing appearances and stature of Chinese women, with a woman from colonial times in traditional clothing, a slightly taller woman from the early or mid 20th century wearing a cheongsam, and a relatively tall and slender young Chinese woman wearing shorts and talking on a mobile phone.

		The island was the scene of fighting during the "May 30 incident" in 1925.

Yuexiu Park

Yuexiu Park is the largest park in downtown Guangzhou. Covering an area of 860,000 square meters (212.5 acres), the park is made up of three artificial lakes and seven hills of Yuexiu Mountain; hence the name is Yuexiu Park.

Yuexiu Park is a perfect combination of cultural relics and ecological tourism, reputed for its pretty water and hills as well as cultural relics. The main places of interest include the stone sculpture of the Five Rams, Zhenhai Tower, the site of the Ming Dynasty City Wall, and Square Cannon Site.

The Five-Ram Sculpture is one of the most famous structures in Guangzhou. It has become the emblem of Guangzhou City. Legend has it that more than 2,000 years ago, Guangzhou was a barren land with people who despite hard work were suffering from famine. One day five immortals in five-colored garments came riding on five rams, playing their legendary music. The rams held sheaves of rice in their mouths. The immortals left the sheaves of rice for the Guangzhou people, gave blessings to the city and left. The rams turned into stone and the city of Guangzhou became a rich and populous place. Guangzhou got the name of the City of Rams and the City of Ears.

Zhenhai Tower, better known among the locals as the Five-Story Tower, is one of the landmarks of Guangzhou city. An interesting historical record has it that Zhu Liangzu, Yongjia Marquis of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), saw yellow and purple air rising over Yuexiu Mountain and was told by a sorcerer that it was the omen of a new emperor. To subdue this omen, Zhu Liangzu ordered this tower to be built in 1380. Over the past 600 years, the tower has been destroyed for five times and set up five times. Now it is the Guangzhou Museum, housing relics and documents showing Guangzhou's history over 2, 000 years. Known as the first tower in Lingnan (South of Nanling Mountain) Area, Zhenhai Tower now is 28 meters (91.9feet) high and 16 meters (52.5 feet) wide. The striking contrast of green glazed titles and red walls makes the tower elegant.