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China Gallery : Images & Insights
China's capital of Beijing, is a vast city with a population of nearly 15 million, second only to Shanghai. It boasts a storied history that began half a million years ago and continues to be written today; where ancient temples merge with modern marvels and many of the country's best and world renowned attractions provide a glimpse into the city's past while its burgeoning CBD (Central Business District) proudly displays the future.
It is the nation's political, economic, cultural, and educational center, headed by the acclaimed Peking University, located at the northeast of the burgeoning Haidian District in the western suburbs. One of the original six "Ancient" cities of China, Beijing became the nation's sole capital in 1949 during the creation of the "People's Republic." Its famous Forbidden City has been well preserved and is considered the most magnificent ancient architectural complex in China...and the biggest standing complex of palaces in the world.
Find comprehensive travel information including Beijing tours, Beijing hotels, Beijing attractions, and Beijing nightlife on Beijing Highlights.
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Beijing
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Beijing
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Beijing
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Tiananmen gate entrance to the Forbidden City |
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A canal in the Forbidden City |
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Forbidden City Square with tourists
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Beijing |
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Beijing |
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Beijing
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The Great Wall: Entryway into history |
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The Great Wall's origins date back to the 16th century B.C. |
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One of China's ancient wonders is the world's longest human made structure |
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Beijing |
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Beijing |
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Beijing |
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The Capital Paradise development, located at Wenyu River Bridge |
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The beautiful grounds at Peking University |
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More scenic landscape at Peking U... |
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Beijing |
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Beijing |
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Beijing |
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Houhai Bar Street |
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A serene scene at Houhai Lake... |
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...and a "Kingdom" in the distance |
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Wuxi is a popular tourist destination within the JiangSu Province that's at once exotic and cosmopolitan. It is among China's oldest cities and is known by locals as "Little Shanghai," which is about 90 minutes to the west of its larger sibling. Unbeknownst to many, Wuxi was ranked 2nd in Forbes Magazine's Top 10 List of China's Best Places for Business in 2005!
Lending greatly to this is Wuxi's thriving New District. A premier investment location, it is at the forefront of national high-tech industrial development and home to more than 1,300 foreign-funded projects with a total investment of more than $10 billion. Headed by such flagship enterprises as Suntech Power and Evermore Software, WND is expected to complete a built-up area of one million square meters for software & animation, and another one million for R&D and innovative incubation.
Wuxi's skyline is awe-inspiring yet the serenity of Taihu Lake, one of Wuxi's natural wonders, is only moments away...
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Wuxi |
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Wuxi |
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Wuxi |
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The evening skyline in downtown Wuxi City |
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"More Sky" in the distance, Wuxi's latest skyscraper |
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A small city making grand strides |
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Wuxi |
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Wuxi |
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Wuxi |
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"Nanchance," an outdoor marketplace bolstered by traditionally-inspired buildings |
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Part of the traditional scenery at the "Three Kingdoms Dynasty" |
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Making like a tourist at Turtle Head Island at the Lake |
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Wuxi |
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Wuxi |
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Wuxi |
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A market square in the City Center |
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Bicyclists own an equal share of the road as cars during rush hour |
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Along the roadway heading toward the suburbs |
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Wuxi |
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Wuxi |
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Wuxi |
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Heading away from the city is the stadium for all sporting events |
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Wuxi's local airport, small and unassuming |
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It's a 100-minute flight from Beijing |
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Wuxi New District |
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Wuxi New District |
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Wuxi New District |
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The entrance to Jin Zhou Garden, a new residential complex |
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Walkway to Europlaza, a new commercial development underway |
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Looking out beyond Europlaza; homesite for a new international hotel |
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Taihu Lake, one of the country's most popular tourist attractions, is the nearby site for the city's latest developmental undertaking, the remarkable Glamourous City. With designs on upgrading and creating a large-scale community within the decidedly more rural environment, one of China's most renowned developers, Vanke, has produced a full-scale project with a four-year plan of sizable scale and scope some 20 minutes on the outskirts of Wuxi's City Center. Just minutes by taxi or a short walk away sits one of the region's premiere European developments, Venice Garden. And another few minutes away sits the splendid campus for JiangNan University.
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Glamourous City |
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Glamourous City |
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Glamourous City |
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The entrance leading into "City" |
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Greeted by billboards and new buildings |
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A microcosm of soon to be many office and residential properties
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Glamourous City |
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Glamourous City |
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Glamourous City |
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Looking out toward the front entrance |
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The pond creates a reflective water-color scene |
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The relatively calm roadway leading out from the complex
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Glamourous City |
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Glamourous City |
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Glamourous City |
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The gateway to the new community |
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A rear view from our future "office" |
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The rural area just outside of the new development |
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Venice Garden |
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Venice Garden |
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Venice Garden |
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The Majestic Entryway |
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Moving through the residential layout |
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The beautifully manicured landscape |
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JiangNan University |
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JiangNan University |
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JiangNan University |
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A Symbol of Ancient Tradition |
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The campus shopping center |
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Preparing for an evening performance |
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Shanghai is China's largest city with a population of nearly 20 million and serves as the business lifeline for the country with a number of seaports and international conglomerates dotting the landscape to create its largest commercial and financial center. It's Mainland China's answer to Hong Kong with its cosmopolitan character and global appeal.
Shanghai is home to the famously popular Bund District, which houses dozens of historical buildings along the Huang Pu River, which separates the city's two major sections, the traditional Puxi to the west and futuristic Pudong to the east, highlighted by the spectacular Pearl TV Tower. While Beijing will welcome the 2008 Olympic Games, Shanghai has plans to welcome a new Disneyland Theme Park along with Universal Studios, and to top it all off, will play host to the 2010 World Expo!
Located in the center of Shanghai, Xin Tian Di is a popular tourist attraction composed of Shikumen (old Shanghai tenement housing) and modern architecture. Within its two-square block design sits a pleasant pedestrian street lined with international galleries, bars and cafes, boutique shops, and theme restaurants. Shanghai Xin Tian Di in itself is a microcosm of the city, where old world heritage merges with modern progress.
Shanghai Highlights Travel offers all kinds of Shanghai Tours, including Shanghai day tours, special tour packages of Shanghai, and Shanghai weekend tours.
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Shanghai |
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Shanghai |
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Shanghai |
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The Pearl Tower stands out in the evening skyline |
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A night scene at Shanghai's historic Bund |
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The Huangpu River lies between the Puxi and Pudong Districts |
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Shanghai |
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Shanghai |
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Shanghai |
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A popular pedestrian-only street in the many shopping districts |
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Shanghai Grand Theatre located at the intersection of Central Boulevard and Huangpi |
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At the entrance of the popular Shanghai Circus |
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Shanghai Xin Tian Di |
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Shanghai Xin Tian Di |
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Shanghai Xin Tian Di |
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Starbucks sits at the Northern entrance of the fashionable pedestrian street |
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A courtyard centers a variety of international eateries and boutiques |
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Approaching from the decidedly modern entryway of the South Block |
Known as the "Cradle of Chinese Nationality," Xi'an is a city with a long history in which many ancient Chinese dynasties established their capitals and was one of the country's Seven Ancient Capitals for more than a thousand years. Xi'an is ranked among the ten largest cities in the entire nation and is home to a population of more than eight million.
A foremost feature of the city, whose literal meaning is "Western Peace," is the country's greatest archeological excavation, the Terracotta Warriors, life-sized terracotta figures of warriors and horses arranged in battle formations. The State Council authorized the building of a museum on the site for the protection of the discovery, which now encompasses more than 8,000 pottery soldiers, horses, chariots, and weapons on display.
Xi'an is also one of the most popular tourist destinations, where several thousand foreign and Chinese visitors arrive every year. It is also known as one of the academic centers in China with its number of institutions following after only Beijing and Shanghai.
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Xi'an |
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Xi'an |
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Xi'an |
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The Bell & Drum Tower Square |
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The Square highlighted by the Bell Tower |
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An evening view of the Bell Tower |
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Xi'an |
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Xi'an |
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Xi'an |
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Old style housing near the City Wall |
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Century Ginwa Shopping Square |
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Terracotta Museum Warriors & Horses |
Known locally as the capital of the "Heavenly State," it's no wonder with a tag like that Chengdu is also acknowledged as one of China's most livable cities in widely read publications across the country. So why isn't Chengdu mentioned in the same sentence with such highlighted cities as Beijing and Shanghai? One reason could be due to its location in central China, effectively shielded from the higher profile locations along the eastern coast.
While many Chinese cities have undergone some degree of change in name, rank and status throughout the years, Chengdu has been and still remains the capital of the Sichuan (“Four Rivers”) province, serving as the region’s center of commerce, politics and traditional Chinese medicine. It is one of the wealthiest cities in China, and also one of the country's most important transportation and communication hubs.
And perhaps much like Beijing, peering through this modern day growth period and affluence, it is Chengdu’s rich history that still serves as the core of its character. For in spite of all its international scope and modern day progress, many can still appreciate it for its age-old charm and leisurely ambience.
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Chengdu |
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Chengdu |
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Chengdu |
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The city lights reflecting off the river |
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A scenic view of the city |
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Chengdu's famous Wangjiang Pavilion peeks out to the left |
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Chengdu |
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Chengdu |
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Chengdu |
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ChunXi Road, known as one of the three best shopping streets in China |
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At the entrance of the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base |
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Wenjun Mansion rolls out the red carpet for guests |
We will be offering a variety of authentic Chinese products available for both individual and bulk purchase directly from the local manufacturers at exceptionally low prices. There will be a number of additional locations and categories to choose from and we will be continually updating our inventory and network of participating providers on a regular basis. Also look for special order and volume discounts.
Visit Our China Marketplace
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What inspired us to first visit China? China certainly qualifies as an "Emerging" Market for starters, something we gravitate towards when exploring investment opportunities. In fact, "Capitalism on Speed" was how one fairly well known software developer put it some time ago. After successfully investing in Nicaragua, that piqued our interest.
China can be a challenge for the individual investor. Beijing and Shanghai are among the safest bets to buy into the mainland, however better growth prospects may be found among the smaller, less renowned cities such as Wuxi, Suzhou or Xiamen, or toward those coastal cities that could stand to benefit from improved living conditions and population shifts. But that's not to exclude the many regions toward Central China where things are also beginning to heat up.
China's major cities offer better value and a degree of security for property investors as well as small but growing foreign communities; they don't come cheaply, but under the right conditions can provide a solid return on investment.
Looking Toward the Future
- Now that Beijing's successfully hosted the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, a beneficial byproduct has been cleaning up and clearing the air; now Shanghai will become the focus of future attention as the city gears up for the 2010 World Expo.
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Wuxi's renowned Tai Lake welcomes the new community known as Glamourous City, which is set to capitalize on the popularity of the city's top tourist attraction and its pleasant surroundings. There are plenty of things to see and do in Wuxi and this should be at the top of your list!
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Wuxi's up and coming New District is fast becoming the location for local and international enterprises seeking to enter the city's marketplace. As we continue establishing local connections, we'll explore potential opportunities for foreign businesses and how you can enter the arena in what should become one of the country's most impressive growth models.
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So far in our travels to China we have a presence in the cities of Beijing, Wuxi, Hangzhou, and Shanghai. Plenty more are in the works throughout 2009 including the more central regions of Xi'an and Chengdu, and future business will bring about further exploration of the others. Watch this space for new images and research as our team uncovers more about the Mainland's major leaguers as well as break ground on those so-called "Second Tier" cities that could stand to benefit from future government initiatives.
Investment incentives aside, China has proven to be an exotic and exciting getaway that offers much in the way of charm and culture for overseas visitors.
More on China
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For a more in-depth look into this wondrous country, we've created an informative e-Book entitled "Discover China" available for purchase through Vinnie's World, where we present the do's and dont's of buying real estate and doing business, as well as uncover some prime choices for traveling, lodging and dining, plus a number of helpful resources you should know about before planning your first visit!
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Articles: China: A Nation in Motion: Traveling to Beijing, Wuxi and Shanghai as a Tourist and Potential Investor. For more information about visiting China's booming capital city of Beijing take a guided "tour" through our article: Beijing in Bloom.
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Wuxi's latest undertaking by the lake, Glamourous City, is a large-scale project by China's top developer, Vanke Co. and slated to be everything the name suggests. New residential complexes, office buildings, schools, parks, shopping, and plenty more during its five-year plan. Look for new images and information appearing above.
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For a quick briefing about Wuxi, click to view our "Postcard" for more about one of China's more private yet progressive locations in the Jiangsu Province.
We are continually gathering information from our resources in China regarding investment conditions and the real estate market. The process of purchasing property for personal use or business is more difficult than it once was and it's helpful to have reliable sources. To learn more about opportunities available in China and to view property listings, visit our Properties section.
Business Opportunities
Have you wanted to develop a presence in China and tap into its thriving economy and future growth? We can assist you. Here at Vinnie's World, China is one of our primary areas of focus and between our growing local team and network of professionals, we can assist you to establish or extend your business operations there and guide you through the entry process. Learn more at our section for China Business >>
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