中文

HUBEI - Wuhan (Capital of the Hubei Province): Wuhan is located at the juncture of the Yangtze and Hanjiang rivers in the eastern part of the Hubei province, which is itself located in the middle of China. The two rivers divide Wuhan into three parts, known as "Wuhan's three towns" -Wuchang, Hankou and Hanyang. The city covers an area of 8,549 square kilometers, which includes 2,137 square kilometers of water and 864 square kilometers of urban area. The city has a population of 7.25 million, including 3.85 million urban residents. Wuhan is not only the economic and trade centre of the province but is also the ancient cultural centre of China established over 3,500 years ago.

Rapidly Developing Economy: To attract more foreign investment, Wuhan has been seizing opportunities and working hard to improve its economic conditions since opening to overseas investors. By the end of 1999, the city has approved more than 3,500 enterprises in three forms of ventures - Sino-foreign joint ventures, Sino-foreign cooperation, and solely foreign-funded ventures. Large projects by foreign corporations and financial groups have played an important role in boosting the city's economy. In particular two large state-level industrial projects - the Donghu high-tech development zone and the Tunkou economic technological development zone - have attracted great number of foreign investors. At the same time, in order to increase economic sources, the city is emphasizing the establishment of three types of foreign-funded enterprises: village-township enterprises; privately-owned enterprises; and tertiary industry.
Wuhan controls the functions of the coastal cities as well as the development of the Yangtze river economic belt and the construction of the Three Gorges Dam. The economic prospects of Wuhan are very bright.

Economic Development in Other Major Cities: Jingmen and Xiaogan, both of which have opened to the outside world of overseas investors, are the major economically developed cities of the province. Jingmen is rich in natural resources with 33 types of proven mineral resources including substantial phosphorus deposits which have been estimated at 250 million tons. Over 160 kilometers of the Hanjiang river runs through Jingmen's territory. It has 16 tributary systems with more than 500 large and medium-sized reservoirs containing vast water reserves. Tourism resources are also very abundant with more than 400 historic sites under the protection of state, province, or city.
Xiaogan has expanded the scope of its opening to the outside world. The Experimental Zone for the Development of New Industries, established by the province of Hubei, has formed a new export-oriented economic development structure with car manufacturing as its principal industry, the two main subsections being the manufacture of mechanical and electrical equipment and the manufacture of construction materials. The zone produces many sophisticated high-tech products which have filled domestic gaps and are now being sold in international markets.
Other cities such as Yichang, Hanyang, and Ezhou have also rapidly boosted their economic development and are opening to outside investors.