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Exquisite Yangzhou: A vigorous ancient city

(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-05-26 07:20

Aerial view of Xincheng West District of Yangzhou, Jiangsu province

Yangzhou, sitting 2,500 years at the crossing of the mighty Yangtze River and the thousand-year-old Grand Canal, is one of the first 24 historic and cultural cities released by the State Council.

Today, the ancient city is a poetic land of greenery, a famed town with refined culture and a vigorous modern city of speedy development.

In its modernization guided by the concept of scientific development, Yangzhou has chosen a way of exquisite development to build up a vibrant new city which seeks to cultivate exquisite industries, build exquisite urban communities, and create exquisite life.

After becoming a sanitary city, gardening city, environment model city of the country and winning the livable habitat award, Yangzhou made into the United Nations Habitat Scroll of Honor on September 10, 2006, presenting the world with a humane, ecological, livable and exquisite new Yangzhou. Thus the city strides out of China into the world with confident steps.

Exquisite industries: A platform for a new round of development

Yangzhou's speedy development follows a rising curve. In 2002, the gross industrial output value of Yangzhou hit 100 billion yuan; in 2004, the output value of scaled industries broke 100 billion yuan as well; in 2005, the gross industrial output value exceeded 200 billion yuan; in 2007, the gross value reached 360 billion yuan. In 2008, the city is sprinting to its goal of 500 billion yuan.

The rise showcases a road for exquisite development. As the city moves for clustered industries, high and new technology, and ecology-friendly modernization in recent years, Yangzhou has chosen scientifically creative, energy-saving and environment-friendly industries that fit with sustained growth, advanced manufacturing trends, and ecological and humane requirements of Yangzhou.

On the one hand, the city speeds up growth of advanced manufacturing. The petrochemical industry, based on the chemical industrial park, emphasizes basic, synthetic, refined and logistic sectors. The auto sector forms three clusters in Yizheng, city development zone and Jiangdu. The shipbuilding industry focuses along the Yangtze bank in Jiangdu, Hanjiang and Yizheng.

In three to five years, the city aims to build up four industrial clusters in petrochemical, auto and ship building, machinery, and opto-electrical appliance of solar energy that produces 100 billion yuan worth of output value each.

Now the "eight areas and two parks" have generated 45 percent of the city's scaled industrial output, 35 percent of the budget revenue, 84 percent of exports and 80 percent of actual overseas input on a piece of land less than 1 percent of the city's acreage. A number of multinationals such as Siemens have landed here in Yangzhou.

On the other hand, the city invests its future in new energy, new photosources and new materials industries. While making programs on photovoltaic sector, the city introduces related businesses and forms a silicon production chain that starts with polysilicon and reaches solar energy lamps.

To speed up the three new industries, the city releases some policies of support and sets up a special fund. At the beginning of the year, the city sets up a testing base for opto-electrical products after becoming a base for semiconductors and illuminators.

Meanwhile, Yangzhou also spares no effort on modern service sectors such as information, modern logistics and tourism and on expanding the scale and efficiency of modern agriculture.

Exquisite city: A glowing name card for Yangzhou to embrace the world

When Anna K. Tibaijuka, UN undersecretary-general and executive director of UN-Habitat, visited Yangzhou, she could not but admire that it is a city that most fits the UN Habitat Scroll of Honor which inducted the city in 2006.

Today the city wants to keep the ancient sector to be classical and new areas modern to protect its historic communities with their scenic spots and ancient canal.

In urban planning, the city outlines one center and two wings and arranges sources accordingly. The ancient community, the Slender West Lake area, and the ancient canal area receives special protection. The area along the Yangtze River is the center for industrial bases and expansion. The Xincheng West District and Guangling New City become extensions of the downtown while those areas along the canal are to become bases for ecological and high-yield agriculture.

The city builds up a 5.09 sq km area of urban communities left over from the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911) and follows the principles of "being true to history, keeping integrity and sustaining life".

At present the base for Yangzhou cultural fair is working on 100 museums via building, restoring and expanding famed residences. Over 300 ancient streets, gardens and residences have got "identity cards".

Among them, the Yangzhou Museum, Yangzhou Engraved Printing Museum, Yangzhou Buddhism Culture Museum, Jian Zhen Academy, Arts and Crafts Exhibition Hall have opened to public. The ancient neighborhoods at Shuangdong and Shuangning are renewed.

The city also furnishes its traffic, telecom, water, power and sewage treatment facilities. The urban parts of Yangzhou have been fully covered by wireless Internet access, which is among the first in the country.

Such achievements helped Yangzhou make the Top 10 list for best urban management last year, so the ancient city is putting on new beauty shows.

Exquisite life: Lively snapshots of a livable city

"The Slender West Lake is as poetic as a painting, ancient Yangzhou is rich in culture. It offers you peace and rewards you with vigor." The tourism slogan has become a mark of the city itself. While ancient culture flows into modern civilization, they cultivate a simple but solid temperament and provide harmony and peace.

The city is creating an exquisite kind of life under the concept of "being humane, ecological and livable".

Starting from 2001, the city has for seven years in a row issued No 1 documents to promote employment. In 2007, the net income rose 16.3 percent for urban residents and 13.3 percent for rural people, ranking among the top five in 13 similar cities of Jiangsu. A social security system is covering all people here and a settlement project solved the housing problem for 2,500 families with special difficulties.

The city also spent 3 billion yuan on 28 rivers and canals, turning 80 percent of the city's water system up to environmental standards.

Over the years Yangzhou has planted trees along roads, rivers, built five "green-lung" systems, added hundreds of small gardens and more than 10 million sq m of grass and woodlands along its streets, canals and rivers. The city's green coverage rose to 43 percent.

People can find a pleasant corner of greenery or pavilions for a break every 300 to 500 m from their homes. In 2006 and 2007, the city had 318 days and 322 days of sound air quality. Anywhere in Yangzhou people could feel the presence of city in gardens.

The city also brings harmony and honesty to society by holding different levels of activities in the communities, towns and villages and families. New sports and cultural facilities also provide grounds for locals to enjoy their spare time. A Yangzhou Forum is held for scholars and experts from all over the country.

While further improving livability, Yangzhou seeks to enrich its life by adding more honors, including the national ecological and gardening city, best tourism city, and a city with world heritage sites.

Walking along the streets today and coming across the flowers, pavilions and ancient residents, one can feel the ancient cultural city is providing them a haven for a soothing taste of history and culture.

The People's Government of Yangzhou

(China Daily 05/26/2008 page12)