CHINA DAILY JUNE 1920, 2010 weekend • wenzhouspecial 13 PHOTOS PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY Yandang Mountains Wenzhou’s coastal zone has makeover By XIAO XIAO Wenzhou city plans to invest billions on restruc- turing its coastal area in order to achieve sustain- able industrial growth. The city will invest 20 billion yuan in major proj- ects in its coastal industrial zone in 2010, including 2.5 billion yuan for transpor- tation infrastructure, and over one billion yuan on land reclamation projects, according to the city’s Development and Reform Commission. Enjoy mountains and rivers in historic city The zone covers an area of 1,645 sq km from Yueqing city to Xiaguan town in Cangnan county, By XU XIAO the city has a mild climate through- the mountains are divided into eight and includes six counties out the year and earned the name scenic areas, among which the most and 42 towns. It will focus Wenzhou, a historic coastal city “Wenzhou” because “Wen” in Chi- famous are the ree Wonders: the on the development of 12 in southeast China, is a fascinating nese, means “warm and mild.” Spiritual Peaks (Ling Feng), the sub industrial areas, with place to visit. e city has a total area of 11,784 Spiritual Rocks (Ling Yan) and the a total investment of 273.1 Its history can be dated back to sq m, about one third that of Swit- Big Dragon Waterfall (Da Long billion yuan in 197 key the Neolithic Age, when a primitive zerland. According to estimates Qiu). construction projects. people lived there and made pot- in 2008, the population was 7.99 Once upon a time, someone “The coastal industrial tery named ou — why it was called million, the biggest in Zhejiang asked an old poet who had visited zone will provide the city Dong’ou in ancient times. province. Yandang Mountains many times, with a precious opportuni- In the first year of Taining in In the past, Wenzhou was famous “How would you compare Yandang ty to accelerate its industrial the eastern Jin Dynasty (323 for its handicra industry. Delicate to the Yellow Mountains?” e old Coastal city Wenzhou upgrading and economic AD), the city of blue china was born there. During poet replied: “Both have their restructuring process,” Wenzhou was the Southern Song Dynasty (1127- wonders, the Yellow Mountains are said Zhang Yili, vice-head built. Due to its 1279), Wenzhou was opened up magnifi cent and wondrous, while of Wenzhou University’s southern location to foreign countries as a trade Yandang Mountains are spiritual business school. port. and wondrous, but you must visit Today Wenzhou is them yourself to understand what SHANGHAI known for business. I mean.” But it is not simply a commercial city. It also Nanxi River has a rich culture and is The Nanxi River, a State-level Hangzhou the hometown of Nanxi scenic spot, is 23 km from Wen- The coastal Opera — the earli- zhou city. Zeya Falls industrial zone will est form of Chinese The river has 36 bends and 72 opera. beaches, with a drainage area of provide the city Several distinguished 2,429 sq m. Running from north with a precious people hail from the area, to south, the Nanxi River fi rst fl ows opportunity to such as the doctor Chen into the Oujiang River and fi nally accelerate its ZHEJIANG Yuanze in the Post Song empties into the East China Sea. ‘‘ Dynasty, the painter Huang The main scenic spots of the industrial upgrade Gongwang in the Yuan Nanxi River area include the Bai- and economic Dynasty (1271-1368), and the zhang Waterfall, the Furong Tri- restructuring.” educator Xia Nai in modern angle Rock, the Waterfall of Tengxi times. Pool, the Twelve Peaks, and the ZHANG YILI Wenzhou Taogong Cave. VICE-HEAD OF WENZHOU UNIVERSITY’S BUSINESS e water of Nanxi River is clear SCHOOL Yandang Mountains and fish can be seen swimming Nanxi River Located in Leqing county of Wen- peacefully in the water. Visitors can zhou city, the Yandang Mountains take a small boat and fl oat with the In recent years, some are 68 km from the city center. water, watching the green trees and light industrial products ere is a lake on the top of the hills passing by in the daytime, and such as lighters and leath- mountain where wild geese fl ying to enjoying the balmy summer breeze, er shoes from Wenzhou the warm south come to spend their and tiny lights twinkling in the sky quickly occupied domes- winters. is is how the mountain in the evening. tic and foreign markets. got its name “Yandang” -meaning However, due to the low the place where wild geese live. Other places to see technology content of Yandang Mountains cover a total Travellers can also visit the Nanji these products, competi- area of 450 sq km. Regarded by sci- Islands National Nature Reserve, the tors from other regions entists as a natural museum of great Xiandu Scenic Area and the Xianju quickly caught up. Ancient covered bridge in Taishun county historic and scientifi c signifi cance, Scenic Area. The zone is also expected to promote the oil and chemical industry, new materials and other upstream raw material industries, and Locals do booming business also to develop mechani- cal equipment, electrical appliances, electronic information, automobile and motorcycle parts and both at home and abroad other mid-stream equip- ment manufacturing. By CONG RONG ies in China relied on foreign ing, the odd-jobs that people In 2009, over 119 investment or government from elsewhere in the country industrial projects were Business people in Wen- funding to fuel their econo- usually look down upon and started in the develop- zhou have not only contrib- mies, Wenzhou had to be will not do.” ment district of the zone. uted to the rapid economic more self-reliant. The city has been desig- A 100,000 ton-class ship- development of their own city With ambition and Wenzhou is a city full nated by the United Nations building project in Yueq- since the 1980s, but have also diligence, Wenzhou people of vigor and passion Industrial Development ing has completed two travelled internationally and turned their city into one of for entrepreneurship Organization as one of the 30,000 ton-class berths settled all over the world. China’s biggest manufactur- — its people have most vigorous cities in the and facilities. A wind-elec- Located about 500km to the ers of small scale goods, such world. tric equipment is under Century Square in downtown Wenzhou south of Shanghai, Wenzhou as gi s, toys, lighters, razors, strong aspirations Zhao Yide, mayor of Wen- construction, and an is a coastal city in southeast- spectacles and badges, which for challenges and zhou, said: “Wenzhou is a emergency vehicle project ern Zhejiang province, with are exported around the ‘‘ city full of vigor and passion producing 3,200 vehicles ENTERPRISING PEOPLE success.” an area of 11,784 sq km and a world. for entrepreneurship and annually has begun. The population of 8 million. Over 95 percent of the ZHAO YIDE Wenzhou people have strong coastal industrial zone At present, 1.75 million people in Wenzhou are doing e city was largely ignored local economy is private sec- MAYOR OF WENZHOU aspirations for challenge and completed projects worth business or running enterprises in various parts of Chi- na, while 630,000 are engaged business in other coun- by China’s central planners tor. Wenzhou currently has success.” a total investment of 13.5 tries. The city has a big expatriate community in almost and developed slowly dur- 130,000 private enterprises “Wenzhou is in a critical billion yuan, 123.8 percent every corner in the world. In their adopted countries, ing the planned economy and 27 national production period of advancing scientifi c of the yearly plan. such as in Europe and the United States, Wenzhou’s period. bases, including “China’s development and transform- “ e year 2010 will be people enjoy a reputation as enterprising due to their In an isolated place with Shoes Capital” and “China’s “Wenzhou people are ing patterns of economic key for promoting con- retail and restaurants acumen. They have established a big population but limited Electric Home Appliances known for their entrepreneur- growth,” Zhao said. struction of the zone,” said more than 230 overseas Chinese associations that resources, Wenzhou people Capital.” ship. ey are canny business Today, Wenzhou is a pros- Shao Zhanwei, secretary together form a global business network. The links help have cultivated special busi- In the 1980s, when people people who can turn their perous modern city with a of the Wenzhou Party Wenzhou people look outward. ness shrewdness to make the in China’s interior moved hands to any trade and make developed transportation Committee. He said the “With a long history and as the birthplace of many most of what they have. towards the coast and people it profi table,” said Yuan Yap- network, including express- city would auction land outstanding people, Wenzhou is renowned for entrepre- China’s reform and open- in the north towards the ing, a journalist. ways, high-speed railways, of six sq km, and imple- neurship. The longstanding Ouyue culture has nurtured ing up starting in the late south, people of Wenzhou, “They have no interest in international airport and ment investment of more Wenzhou people pioneering spirit and contributed to 1970s brought many business went the opposite direction, working for someone else. ports, making the city easily than 50 million yuan on the city’s rapid social and economic development,” said opportunities for the city and heading inland towards the Instead, they o en start with accessible and more closely 60 new industrial projects Cai Yuanqiang, president of Wenzhou University.