Kaifeng |
|
Located in eastern Henan, Kaifeng has 5 counties and 5 districts under its jurisdiction, with a total area of 6,444 square kilometers and a population of 4.707  million. With a history of over 2,700 years, Kaifeng used to be called Bianliang, Bianjing, Dongjing or Bian for short. During the Northern Song Dynasty, it served as the capital for 168 years and had a population of more than 1.5 million, developing into a political, economic and cultural centre of China and a prosperous metropolis of the world then. Besides, the brilliant culture of the Song Dynasty took shape at that time, which had a profound impact on later ages.
With such a long history and rich cultural heritage, Kaifeng is known as the "Ancient Capital City of Seven Dynasties", "Ancient Capital of the Song Dynasty", and "Chrysanthemum City". Moreover, as a " city astride lakes in North China", Kaifeng has become a famous city for tourism where one can enjoy the unique architectural style and strong cultural atmosphere of the Song Dynasty.
Industrial system of Kaifeng is complete with all necessary departments. It is rich in resources for farming and sideline production. The five counties under its jurisdiction are national bases for producing marketable grain and wheat, and they have been designated as important areas for producing wheat, cotton, peanuts and soybeans in Henan province. The city has been active in implementing the strategic policy of making development play the leading role. So a large number of new and hi-tech enterprises have been attracted to make investment or run businesses in Kaifeng. The Kaifeng Economic Development Zone and Kaifeng Hi-Tech Industrial Zone, focusing on developing hi-tech industry and foreign-oriented economy, have become the first choices of investment for both domestic and foreign enterprises.
As an important part of the Eurasian Continental Bridge, Kaifeng has speeded up the construction project of integration with Zhengzhou. The most important expressway between Zhengzhou and Kaifeng is to be completed before October 1, 2006. Besides, the Lanzhou-Liangyungang Railway and state Highway No. 310 run through the city from east to west, and the state Highway No. 106 passes by Kaifeng from south to north. The Kaifeng-Luoyang Expressway and the Kaifeng-Shangqiu Expressway connect the city with all the major cities in Henan. Kaifeng is only 69 kilometers away from Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport. The Aron Banner-Shenzhen, Lianyungang-Huoerguos and Rizhao-Nanyang Expressways intersect here at Kaifeng. The advantageous location makes Kaifeng a pivot city in the Central Plains. The GDP of the city in 2005 reached RMB yuan 47 billion with an increase of 13.1% against the previous year.
The city flower is Chrysanthemum, by which the hospitable people of Kaifeng hold the annual Chrysanthemum Festival from October 18 to November 18. Kaifeng has established friendly relationship with Toda of Japan, Wichita of the United States and Yongchon of ROK. |
|
