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Urumqi City |
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名称: Urumqi City
Natural Conditions
Urumqi is the capital of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China's
most western province. The most "inland" city in the world - the
farthest from any major body of water -- Urumqi is 3,270 km (2,050 mi)
from Beijing (a five-hour flight). With a population of one million,
it7 lies as a green-blanketed oasis amidst Xinjiang's barren and
uninhabited deserts, loess highlands, and the snow-capped peaks of the
Tianshan Mountains.
The city lies west of the Bogda Mountain (part of the Tianshan Range)
and at the southeastern edge of the Junggar Basin. Situated at an
elevation of 900 m., it is an important city in China's northwestern
border area. Urumqi covers an area of 11,890 sq km., of which 72 sq.
km. is the city proper.
Although forbidding in winter, Urumuqi's climate is pleasant in summer,
with warm days and cool evenings. An extensive series of tree belts
around it has helped to reduce wind, dust, and cold.
Those who travel to Urumqi via railway from Lanzhou will pass
Chayuguan, the westernmost part of the Great Wall. It is also the
oldest surviving segment, dating back to the Han Dynasty (206 BC-- 220
AD), with a few sections originating in the Qin Dynasty (221 -- 206 BC)
when China's northern defensive ramparts were first linked together.
Because rainfall is scarce, many parts of Xinjiang are barren. The main
source of irrigation water is the snow and ice at the higher reaches of
the Tianshan range. To harness this supply, rivers have been
re-channeled and irrigation canals dug. Xinjiang now has over 400
reservoirs and 30,000 km. (18,800 mi.) of re-channeled
waterways.
Now Xinjiang produced steel, oil, chemicals, sugar, tractors and
various other kinds of farm machinery. Trucks are the main means of
transportation and thousands of miles of roads have now been paved.
Islam is the dominant religion in Xinjiang. In major cities such as
Urumqi and Kashi, huge mosques are still in use. Religious festival
days are still observed and it is even possible to encounter older
women wearing veil.
Economy
Located in China's northwest frontier, Urumqi City has a population of
1.5 million of 43 ethnic groups. It is becoming an important door for
western China to open to the outside world thanks to the
opening of the new Eurasia Land Bridge and the formation of a foreign
economic corridor.
In recent years, the economic vigor of Urumqi City has increased as
China speeds up economic development in areas inhabited by ethnic
minority people. The city's gross domestic product has grown
at an average annual rate of 8.94% to 17.54 billion yuan in
1995. It was the only provincial (regional) capital in
northwest China among the 55 Chinese cities with per capita GDP
exceeding 10,000 yuan in 1994.
In order to achieve sustained, fast and healthy economic growth, the
city has always paid great attention to bringing the State sector into
full play. Its 118 State-owned industrial enterprises have
optimized their structures and increased investment in technological
renovation to produce name-brand and higher quality products and
improve efficiency. As a result, their industrial
output value has increased by 11.08% a year on the average, with a
sales-to-production ratio of 96%.
All this shows the mainstay role of the State-owned industry in the
city's economy.
The tertiary industry of Urumqi City has boomed to account for 52.42%
of the city's GDP. Among the fastest growing sectors are
communications, transportation, postal service, commerce, catering
trade and finance. They have also brought up the development of
technical services, social services and real estate. Such
undertakings as culture, science and technology, public health and
sports have also boomed. For all these, Urumqi has been designated as a
national pilot city to try out the comprehensive reform of scientific,
technological and economic systems.
Agriculture
Suburban agriculture is a characteristic of Urumqi. The city has
focused its efforts on the construction of vegetables, fruit, meat,
aquatic products, milk, egg and poultry production centers. Its
non-staple food production capacity and market supply have
increased year by year. In recent years, township enterprises
have developed fast in the city, with annual output value approaching
1.3 billion yuan.
Prospect
for Development
Today, Urumqi is facing a rare opportunity for development - the
central government has granted an eight-point preferential policy to
implement the "border opening" strategy as of 1992. In line
with this policy, the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Urumqi City
have offered more preferential policies to encourage investment. They
have also cut red-tapes to improve their efficiency and services.
There are three large oil fields near Urumqi. Development of these oil
fields, as well as the transfer of cotton spindles from east to west
and the industrial policy in favor of the western region, will inject
new vigor into the city's economic development. Indeed, the
city has been well aware of the favorable opportunity so that it has
been implementing the "Cooperation with the East and Opening to the
West" policy.
To be specific, this policy is designed: firstly, to attract investment
from other parts of the country; secondly, to develop tourism as the
flows of passengers and goods increase; and thirdly, to increase
economic and trade cooperation with foreign countries. The
city has so far opened 61 enterprises abroad, mainly in Central Asia
and Eastern Europe.
The Urumqi Foreign Economic and Trade Fair, which is held annually, has
become an event to open the city wider to the outside world. It has
helped to promote external cooperation, invigorate the local economy,
and to make the city better known in the world.
As a link to the economies in Central and West Asia, Urumqi is making
greater efforts to improve its soft and hard investment environments
and make itself more attractive to investors. In 1995, it
spent 2.6 billion yuan in construction of urban infrastructure, such as
waterworks, highways, telecommunications facilities and environmental
protection projects.
Communication
By now, it has formed a daily water supply capacity of 340,000 cubic
meters and a generating capacity of 660,000 kw. It has convenient land
and air transportation services, with 30-odd domestic and international
air routes having been opened, the Lanzhou-Xinjiang double-track
railway becoming operational on July 1, 1995, and the No. 312
Turpan-Urumqi-Dahuangshan State high-grade highway now under
construction.
Also, the Xi'an-Lanzhou-Urumqi optical cable line has been put into
use, accommodating 7,500 new long-distance telephone lines and 200,000
new local telephone lines. The area of central heating supply
in the city now tops 3 million square meters, and gas accounts for over
99% of the fuels available for local residents.
Through efforts of various sectors, the city has improved its outlook a
great deal. Its comprehensive service function also has been
improved markedly and its investment environment has been improved
further.
Tourist
Features
Urumqi
is one of the most exotic cities in China and visitors will be treated
to many of its unusual attractions, including a camel ride or, in some
cases, a night in an Uygur tent. They may also be taken to the People's
Park on the west bank of the Urumqi River, or the Hong Shan Baota
(Precious Pagoda of the Red Mountain), reputedly built in the Tang
Dynasty.
A tour of one of the local
carpet factories will interest those who cherish colorful
Central Asian rugs. Other ethnic products such as embroidered caps,
leather boots, and horn-handled knives are available in the department
stores in the downtown area. The Urumqi Jade Carving Studio is supplied
by Xinjiang's rich jade deposits which include famous "King of Kunlun"
and "Sheep Fat" (White) Varieties.
Heavenly
Pool (Tian Chi): This beautiful lake is about halfway up
the 5,000-m. high Bogda Mountain (part of the Tianshan range). It is
about 50 km (31 mi.) from Urumqi and inaccessible in winter when both
the road and the lake are frozen.
Hotel
Accommodation: The Yan'an Hotel is a comfortable one and
well heated in winter. But it is situated a long way out of town,
making it difficult for guests to reach on their own. The Kunlun Guest
House (Fanxiu Rd.) is nearer to town.
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