Wuxi: An Overview
While China’s two largest cities, Beijing and Shanghai, garner most of the attention for tourism and trade in the Mainland, an unassuming little city geographically set between the two, remains virtually unknown to the outside world…but that’s starting to change. Wuxi is located in the Jiangsu Province on the southeast coast and is situated on the Grand Canal that runs from Beijing to Hangzhou.
It is among the oldest cities in China with origins dating back to the Han dynasty (206 BC-AD 220). Its name translates to "without tin" from the time when local tin ores were depleted. Wuxi is not Shanghai or Beijing in terms of size, but in terms of ambition and growth, it holds its own. Take one look at the skyline from a distance and it’s awe-inspiring…and yet you’re only minutes from the serenity of Tai Hu (Grand Lake), one of Wuxi’s natural wonders.
Wuxi became a center of the silk industry beginning in the 20th century and since the Cultural Revolution, the city has continued to grow in importance, with the establishment of more textile production and in recent times, an increasing interest to move into electric motor manufacturing and software development, while exploring offers from outside sources to tap into the city’s abundance of industrial resources.
Wuxi's Local Appeal...
Wuxi is one of China’s renowned tourist cities luring more than ten million domestic and international travelers annually. As one of the eight biggest tourism cities in China, Wuxi has an abundance of scenic attractions highlighted by Plum Garden and Xihui Park in the north, and to the west, the renowned Tai Lake. At the top of the Dragon Light Pagoda, visitors are offered a panoramic view of the city and the surrounding lake.
Located about six miles from the city, Wuxi’s famous lake covers nearly 80 square miles and its serene shore welcomes throngs of tourists from throughout China. About 90 islands, some as tiny as few feet long, some as large as several miles, are scattered within the boundary of the lake area. The presence of many fleets of fishing junk boats is also indicative of Wuxi’s thriving fishing industry.
Not long ago, the city welcomed its own local airport, which includes inbound and outbound flights to major cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen. The city’s efficient rail system, which transports thousands of passengers per day, can accommodate travelers to and from Shanghai in slightly more than 90 minutes.
Many people are known to make the trip from Shanghai to take in the sites and shop. Wuxi's pottery, marble and bamboo products are famous throughout the country. The regional cuisine is uniquely popular, with pork spare ribs and mini buns at the top of the list for locals and visitors alike.
"Little Shanghai's" Coming of Age...
Already an active supporter of China's national industry and commerce, Wuxi is one of China's 15 economic centers, one of its ten most dynamic cities in terms of economy, and it ranked 2nd in Forbes Magazine’s top ten list of China’s Best Places for Business. For 2004, Wuxi’s GDP reached $28.5 billion, ranking 9th among all mainland cities and second among other key cities in the southern part of the Jiangsu Province, just less than Suzhou, but outpacing Nanjing. Wuxi's foreign trade also maintained strong growth with imports and exports totaling $21.5 billion. As of 2005, nearly 60 Fortune 500 companies have established a presence in Wuxi.
Onward and Upward...
Wuxi is home to approximately 4.5 million residents and the city continues to thrive. Its bustling City Center recently introduced its newest state-of-the-art skyscraper, appropriately titled "More Sky," and there is numerous building and renovating taking place alongside many existing modern high rises. In the evening, the flood of neon radiates in the skyline creating a similar energy to Shanghai, something of a big sister to the city affectionately known as "Little Shanghai."
Outside the city toward the New District, there are new international hotels and global business communities springing up to take advantage of Wuxi’s somewhat lower profile and thus lower price scale compared to bustling heavyweights like Beijing and Shanghai to the north and south. In the Tai Lake area, there is a new grand scale development underway known as "Glamourous City," which will be home to several new residential and office complexes, and create a new precedent-setting, community-oriented “city” amidst an otherwise rural backdrop.
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