Speech by the Governor
In the history of the past, Shanxi had played a powerful role, in particular was well known for the" Jin Merchants" who are forerunners ruling the foreign trade and national financial industries. At present, Shanxi is the most important energy source base in China with abundant resources of bauxite, magnesium metal, fireclay, etc. The storage capacity and output of coal respectively account for one third of the whole country.
Currently, we should grasp the strategic opportunities of the flourishing economy in the middle region and attempt to build Shanxi into a new energy and industrial base via improving the traditional pillar industries of coal, coke, metallurgy and electrical power, paying all out efforts to develop the new cornerstone industries of coal chemical, equipment manufacturing, material and tourism. Also we should actively expand the new rising industries of service, logistics trading included, high-technology, culture and farm products processing. Today, Shanxi is committed to expand the opening up and to optimize the investment environment. Welcome to Shanxi for traveling, making investment, and commercial exchange and cooperation. Look forward to mutual benefits and common development.
I . Survey
i. Geographic Location
Shanxi Province is located in the middle of China, middle reaches of the Yellow River and to the west of Taihang Mountains, thereby being called Shanxi. Most of the province was the territory of the Jin State during Spring and Autumn Period so Shanxi is called Jin for short.
Due to the division of Jin State between Han, Zhao and Wei states during the Warring States Period, it is also called" Three Jin". Shanxi Province (N3434`-4043` E11014`-11433`) covers an area of 156,600 square kilometers with the layout boundary of a parallelogram slanting from north-east to south-west. It is adjacent to Hebei Province to the east with the lofty Taihang Mountains as the natural barrier, opposite to Shaanxi Province and Henan Province to the southwest with the choppy as the moat, and neighbors Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to the north across the Great Wall.
The topographic condition in Shanxi is mostly mountains and hills and the mountainous area accounts for over 80% of the whole province, between which are the catenulate basins-Datong Basin, Xinding Basin, Jinzhong Basin, Jiannian Basin and Shangdang Basin in order from the north to the south.
Major Cities: It has 11 main cities, namely Taiyuan City, Datong City, Shuozhou City, Xinzhou City, Yangquan City, Jinzhong City, Lvliang City, Changzhi City, Jincheng City, Linfen City and Yuncheng City, 119 counties or districts and the capital city is Taiyuan City.
ii. Climate
There is a temperate zone continental climate in Shanxi and the four seasons are clearly identified. The winter is long, dry and cold and the temperature throughout the province is below 0℃ . The summer is long in the south and short in the north, hot and rainy, and the temperature in July is around 21-26℃. The spring is short, windy and sandy with frequent drought. The autumn is relatively short with warm and shiny climate. The annual average temperature is in the range of -4-14℃ . The annual average rainfall is 400-650mm, which is unevenly distributed.
ii. Population and Nationalities
It has a total population of 33.5521 million, among which urban population is 14.1281 million. Shanxi is an interracial province with 54 minority ethnic groups apart from Han, and the population of minority ethnic groups accounts for 0.35% of the overall population of Shanxi, scattered throughout the province.
iv. Infrastructure and transportation
Transportation
The roads that have been opened to traffic in Shanxi Province have reached 66,000 kilometers, among which the highways totally reach 1,686 kilometers.
The length of railways has reached 2,512 kilometers and heavy duty and two- way electrization hold a leading position in China's fellow industries. Once the passenger line of Shi-Tai Highway is accomplished, it will only take three hours to get to Beijing from Taiyuan by train. There
Insurance
At present, there are 15 insurance companies setting up their provincial level branches in Shanxi province. At the end of 2005, the insurance market size in value reached to RMB 12.18 billion Yuan, the insurance services category increased to 1,882, there were 54 professional agencies, 4 broker agencies, 3 Insurance Assessment Institutions, 2,514 agencies concurrently engaged in Insurance business.
v. Foreign Exchanges
Provinces & States of Friendship
Shanxi has 8 brother states and provinces from 7 countries.
Cities of Friendship
Shanxi Province has set up 18 pairs of close friendly cities with other 10 counties over the world, just as follows: Taiyuan City with Newcastle City of UK, Himeji City of Japan, Syktyvkar City and Saratov City of Russia, Launceston City of Australia, Chemnitz City of Germany, Douala City of Cameroon; Datong City with Omuta City of Japan, Bury City of UK; Yangquan City with Chesterfield City of UK, Mountvernon City of USA; Changzhi City with Reading City of USA, Mahr City of Germany, Briey City of France, Upper Hutt City of New Zealand; Linfen City of Chichibu City of Japan; Yuncheng City with Lanciano City of Italy; Pingyao County with Provins City of France.
Key Exhibitions & Events
From 2007, China (Taiyuan) International Fair of Coal and Energy Industries will be hosted in Taiyuan every year. The first China (Taiyuan) International Fair of Coal and Energy Industries is proposed to be hosted during Sep.16th-Sep.19th 2007, and its proposed scale will be 1,500 display booths, 2,000 participating enterprises and 2,000 foreign merchants.
The contents of the fair are consisted of the exhibition of product & technology, investment & trade discussion, theme forum, and trading platform. From Aug. to Sep. each year, China
Wutai Mountain International Buddhism Cultural Festival and International Tourism Month will be hosted in WuTai county of XinZhou city. From Sep 26th to Sep 30th each year, Guangong Large-scale Worship Activity will be hosted in YunCheng City.
Shanxi currently has 75 colleges and universities with more than 12,000 postgraduates and 407,000 undergraduates and college students studying presently. There are 216 research institutes in Shanxi with 1.3 million scientific and technical staff. Shanxi has achieved breaking-troughs in the scientific research areas such as information technology, biotechnology, new material technology, advanced manufacturing techniques and coal washing techniques.
vi. Tourism
Scenery and Attractions
Shanxi is one of the birthplaces of the Chinese nation with a long history and a gathering of talented people and cultural relics, which produces the saying-"Look at Shanxi and you can find thousands of years of civilization". Many beautiful legends such as" sky-patching by the Goddess"," flood control by Da Yu" and" mountain movement by Yu Gong" all took place in Shanxi. The ancient civilization with an opening-up and long history has also left worldwide known cultural and tourism resources and formed the profound cultural connotation in Shanxi. Wutai Mountain ranks first among the four famous Buddhism Mountains.
Datong Yungang Grottoes and Ancient City of Pingyao have been listed in the "World Cultural Heritage Directory".
The wooden tower in Ying County is the tallest and oldest wooden architecture in the world. Besides, the natural reservation areas such as Heng Mountain, one of the five famous mountains, the ancient garden in Jin Temple, which has been perfectly preserved, Guan Di Temple in Yuncheng, Pangquan Channel, Luya Mountain, Li Mountain and Mang River, offer unique natural, historical and cultural landscape with a variety of scenic views.
Unique Products
The unique products in Shanxi include:
Jinci rice, Qinzhou yellow rice, hawkthorn, Fen Chiew (Wine), Chu Ye Ching Chiew, Taigu cookie, Wenxi boiled cookie, Pingyao beef and so on.
Special Food
The special food includes tounao, pared noodles, Taiyuan Dongpo eggplant, Yellow River carp, Tai mushroom, Baode Wantuo, lamb entrails, Shaomai, bean paste cake, bread twist, Xiezhou mutton.
Related Articles:
Doing Business in Shanxi Province of China: II.Economy
Doing Business in Shanxi Province of China: III.Investment
Doing Business in Shanxi Province of China: IV. Development Zones
