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Shijiazhuang, capital of Hebei province, has a glorious name
closely connected with the birth of New China.
Xibaipo
about 90 km from urban Shijiazhuang was before a
little-known village, but it has become a revolutionary
shrine, the site where headquarters of the Communist Party
of China (CPC) was established after it moved from northwest
Shaanxi province in 1948.
The
village was home to the CPC's top leaders, though for less
than one year and witnessed momentous days in contemporary
Chinese history.
After the
People's Liberation Army swept across China, a historic
Party conference was held at Xibaipo before founders of the
New China set off for Beijing.
Shijiazhuang was also the site of other firsts in New China.
The city
hosted the inception of modern China's financial system as
the birthplace of the currency renminbi. The People's Bank
of China, the nation's central bank, was also begun there.
Instead
of resting on its historic laurels, Shijiazhuang has made
marked progress in economic growth and city construction in
recent years.
Its gross
domestic product (GDP) hit 239.3 billion yuan in 2007 for a
per capita GDP standing of 25,144 yuan. Foreign trade volume
reached $5.1 billion last year.
The
booming economy has fueled the city's construction.
Local
authorities have strengthened infrastructure construction
and expanded green coverage, seeking to create a friendly
environment.
Situated
on the rim of the Bohai Bay and neighboring Beijing and
Tianjin, the capital of Hebei province has a location of
strategic significance and is growing into a key
transportation center.
It has a
widespread road network, air service to more than 20
domestic cities and 10 international cargo routes and one of
China's three biggest cargo railway stations.
To
further enhance its appeal to visitors and improve the
living environment for locals, the city government has
mounted a series of projects to improve its appearance and
ecology.
After
years of effort, it has new green areas and a recently
restored 57-km section of river with 22 parks.
A number
of landmarks, public facilities and residential communities
developed in recent years have also contributed to
rejuvenating the city.
The
efforts won the city an award presented by the Ministry of
Housing and Urban-Rural Development last year.
Another
asset is the city's pool of human resources. It is home to
67 research institutes and 34 universities and colleges,
including seven experts from the Chinese Academy of Sciences
and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
In
addition to intellectual support, Shijiazhuang is also proud
of its role in contribution to elevating the performance of
Chinese national table tennis team.
As a
national ping-pong training center, the city has hosted
intense training and international competitions.
National
teams from Germany, Japan, France, Italy and Australia are
among those training at the site.
Shijiazhuang has now forged relationships with more than 20
foreign cities and exchanged cooperation in economics,
technology and culture with 192 countries and regions.
Thirteen
Fortune 500 companies have made investments in the city.
(China
Daily July 29.2008)
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Chinese Cities and Province Information
