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MornEliteing Weekly February 28, 2014 P广州英文早报o精英周刊sPublishedt every Friday 广州日报报业集团主管主办 Developing new districts and all the perks that come with it

Administrative adjustments expand 's urban carpet Guangzhou gains two new districts, housing buyers win biggest advantage. G U A NGZH O U M Post In this issue

Administrative adjustments Zengcheng Square. Photo by Zengcheng Daily On the cover: An ariel view of dock activity at expand Guangzhou's urban Guangzhou port, formerly Huangpu port. carpet Zengcheng and Conghua, the only two remaining county level cities in Guangzhou, recently were upgraded to districts under the jurisdiction of People`s Government of Guangzhou Municipality. The decision came down on February 12, 2014. That distinction carries a lot of structural changes; one of the more prominent changes being the original Luogang and Huangpu districts will become a newly formed Huangpu . Residents in the affected area are seeing the greatest influences.

About Us 关于我们 Editor-in-chief ( 总编辑 ): Contact 联系方式 GUANGZHOU Liu Haijian Tel ( 电话 ): Advisor ( 顾问 ): (8620) 8917 3339 Wang Chunyu Fax ( 传真 ): Managing Editor ( 副主编 ): (8620) 8199 2477 Kong Qingwu, Email ( 电邮 ): Morning Jessie Huang [email protected] Elite Visual Director ( 视觉艺术主编 ): Website ( 网站 ): Weekly CS Owsley www.lifeofguangzhou.com Issue No. 1606 Editor ( 编辑 ): Post Penny Pan 版权所有，未经许可不得转载 广州早报出版 国内统一刊号 ：CN44-0177 Lynus Tan All rights reserved 地址 ：广州市增槎路 1113 号 总编辑 ：刘海健 电话：020-89173339 Vita Lin G U A NGZH O U M Post Administrative adjustments expand Guangzhou's urban carpet esidents of Zengcheng and Conghua are about to have their lives changed. If deciding members Rof upper government have it right, that change will be all for the better. Zengcheng and Conghua, the only two remaining county level cities in Guangzhou, recently were upgraded to districts under the jurisdiction of People`s Government of Guangzhou Municipality. The decision came down on February 12, 2014. That distinction carries a lot of structural changes; one of the more prominent changes being the original Luogang and Huangpu districts will become a newly formed Huangpu District. Residents in the affected area are seeing the greatest influences. Under the new distinction, home owners can change to the household registration, or hukou, of Guangzhou. They’ll have the same social welfare benefits, including education and healthcare, as other residents of Visitors view a model of a new realestate development set to be built in Zengcheng. Photo by Guangzhou. Zengcheng Daily Home owners aren’t the only Zengcheng and Conghua and prices control policy in Zengcheng and Conghua, ones getting the benefits from this were scheduled to increase. Initially, the but that new control policies have not yet announcement. Potential home buyers price for a new apartment in the center started, and the current policy will remain are also getting in on the action. People of Zengcheng was around RMB 8,300 – in effect until further announcement. who plan to buy homes but are on a tight 8,600 per sq. m, however, the salesmen As part of the new zoning, the budget and suffering from compromising said the price would increase by RMB 400 government has also approved a decision on location and distance from public per sq. m in the coming week. Other new to expand urban public transportation transport will see some great relief apartments in Zengcheng and Conghua linking the two new districts to other parts sprouting out of the new area. of Guangzhou. As buyers move further down subway in planning to put lines in search of better value for their Ships can reach in new lines and add to sections of metro money, Conghua and Zengcheng are in use by the end of 2016. In all, 284 going to offer a great new option. Unlike “every large domestic kilometers of new tracks will reach all of other districts of Guangzhou, the two new coastal city and more the current 11 districts in Guangzhou. districts will not impose restrictions on People living in Conghua and Zengcheng real estate purchase. This means prices than 100 countries are about to enjoy the convenience of there are considerably lower than the other and regions around commuting to the city center. Time spent districts. The latest average purchase price on line 14 traveling from Conghua to for housing in Zengcheng and Conghua the world from Guangzhou East Railway Station, Baiyun was RMB 8,163 per sq. m, and RMB 7,727 Guangzhou port. International Airport and Tiyu Xilu is per sq. m. respectively, compared to other expected to be less than one hour. districts priced at or near RMB 15,333 per The Provincial Development and sq. m. according to numbers issued by the also saw price hikes of about RMB 500 per Reform Commission gave its approval to authorities in December 2013. sq. m. start construction on line 21 which will “After Zengcheng and Conghua become The rush on houses was partially connect Zengcheng and . districts of Guangzhou, the house price attributed to fear that restrictions on The line plans from Baiyun International in these areas will certainly increase,” said house purchases would be imposed in Airport to Zengcheng via Conghua have Li Wenjiang, chief analyst of a major real Zengcheng and Conghua. Currently the been adjusted to become two independent estate agent in Guangzhou. price is restricted in both districts, but the lines with terminals at both points as On February 16, the first Sunday number of houses an individual is allowed of February 25, 2014. The change drops after the two cities were named districts, to purchase is not limited as it is in other transit time from the airport to Zengcheng local news reports were supporting his districts of Guangzhou. An insider, who by 40 minutes. predictions. Local media Information refused to be identified, told Southern Times reported that buyers were on Metropolis Daily that land authorities Editor: Vita Lin and Rik Glauert the rise at many new housing sites in discussed changing the housing market G U A NGZH O U M Post

Luogang and Huangpu districts merge to a district LUOGANG District, established with the Road”, a key port in , during the Tang Beijing from the Pearl River. Railways and approval of the China’s State Council in Dyansty. Later it became an important roads run through the district, connecting April 2005, is a former development district commercial and naval port. Now Huangpu downtown Guangzhou with Shenzhen and in Guangzhou. It is blessed with numerous is the gateway for international exchange Hong Kong’s Kowloon. scenic landscapes and historic cultural between Southern China and foreign The more historical name of “Huangpu” spots, including forest parks, flower parks, countries in economy, technology and is maintained, and the name “Luogang temples, ancient villages and ancestral halls. culture. The land and water transportation District”, created in 2005, will become a The Luogang Xiangxue Park is a must-go of the district is very convenient. Ships history. The merging of them doesn’t bring place for people who love plum blossom. can reach every large domestic coastal city a great difference besides the enlarging of Every year, hundreds of plum trees are and more than 100 countries and regions territory – the new district will be about greeting and enchanting guests coming around the world from Guangzhou 500 sq. km. “Huangpu”, from many areas, showing their unique port. River ships have access which is famous for being beauty. to interior cities, such as the name of the first Luogang pioneered the construction Dongjiang, military school in modern process of new urban area with a regional Xijiang, China and one of the trunk road network system connecting the a n d most important ports Science Town and development zones such in Chinese history. On as East District and Yonghe as well as the the other hand, the new region. district government will use Seaside district Huangpu the construction of the old is one of two homes to Luogang Government sitting southern China’s largest in the core of the Science port, Guangzhou port. It is City – suggesting the future the merge of Huangpu Port development of the new and old Guangzhou Port. district will be centered on Huangpu started life as the the modern part of it. terminus of the “Maritime Silk

A graphical illustration of Guangzhou by district shows the newly merged Luogang and Huangpu districts into one Huangpu district.

Conghua and Zengcheng become districts CONGHUA is the transition zone from the are all places of forest parks, the great superior government can be expected, and northern mountain areas of Guangdong nature reserves. Zengcheng deserves the the long march of the appeal by Zengcheng Province to the Pearl River Delta. It has a name of “Green Lung” of the east part of and Conghua to the State Council of China special name of “The Pearl on the Tropic Guangzhou. for getting promotion to administrative of Cancer”, which attracts many visitors to The idea of the two former cities level has finally come to a happy ending. experience the feeling of standing on this being upgraded to districts is not new. The recent Government Work Report meaningful line. “The Urban Xanadu” is Guangzhou had reported to the State says the government will deepen economic another name of Conghua with the rainfall Council about this appeal respectively in reform and push for more political reform. of a temperate zone and the sunshine of a 1998 and 2004, but was required to stop in On social development, the report says torrid zone. 2005 by Ministry of Civil Affair. Districts the government will continue to promote Zengcheng has mild climate and boasts in Guangzhou are of prefecture level, which urbanization. Today Zengcheng and its abundant natural resources. People call it are higher than the administrative level Conghua together with Huadu become “yu mi zhi xiang”, its literal meaning being of a county level city. In that case, to the Guangzhou’s sub-centers. The potential of “homeland for fish and rice”. Forests cover government, the upgrade is a promotion of these two districts is huge. 48% of the area. Tourist attractions, such the administrative level. It means that more as Jiaoshiling, Dafengmen and Nanxiang, administrative power and support from the