Major Economic indicators (2007)

Source: Maanshan Economic and Social Development Report 2007

Introduction

Maanshan is situated in the eastern part of Anhui Province, at the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. The city adjoins Wuhu to the south and Nanjing, provincial capital of Jiangsu Province, to the north. Maanshan is merely 45 km from the city center of Nanjing and 300 km from Shanghai, China's economic and financial hub. Maanshan covers an area of 1,686 sq km and has a population of 1.3 million.

Maanshan, the eastern gate of Anhui Province, enjoys convenient transportation. The Nanjing-Tongling Railway, the Nanjing-Wuhu Highway and State Highway 205 run across the city. Nanjing Port, the largest inland petrochemical and liquid chemical transfer port in China, is within 2 hours' drive from the city. Nanjing Port is also the third largest port in China in terms of cargo throughput in 2007. Nanjing Lukou International Airport, located 38 km from Maanshan, is the tenth largest airport in China by cargo throughout. It offers 85 routes to domestic and international cities such as Beijing, Singapore, Bangkok, Osaka and Kuala Lumpur.

The city has a subtropical humid monsoon climate with four distinct seasons. It is rich in mineral resources, such as iron, gold and copper. The iron ore reserves in Maanshan amount to 1.6 billion tons, ranking first in Anhui Province.

Economic Features

Maanshan maintained a stable economic growth in 2007. The city's GDP reached RMB 54 billion in 2007, an increment of 18.5% over the previous year. It comprised 7.4% of Anhui's GDP, ranking fourth out of 17 prefecture-level cities in Anhui Province, after Hefei, Anqing and Wuhu. Secondary industry (industry and construction) generated value-added output of RMB 36.2 billion, accounted for 67% of Maanshan's economy.

Maanshan is an important industrial hub in Anhui Province. The value-added industrial output from the enterprises with designated size and above grew to RMB 29.1 billion in 2007, ranking second in Anhui Province after Hefei.

Iron and steel, autos and auto parts, electricity production and supply, machinery, construction materials, textiles and chemicals are the main industries in the city, with total gross industrial output adding up to RMB 76.5 billion and comprising 90.8% of the city's total industrial output. Masteel Group alone realized gross industrial output of RMB 46.3 billion, accounting for more than one half of the city's total.

Masteel Group, set up in 1953, is the largest industrial enterprise in Anhui in terms of gross industrial output in 2007, and one off the top ten steel producers in China. It focuses on the manufacture of wire, train wheels, steel plates, pig iron, iron oxide and other iron-related products. In 2007, it produced 14.2 million tons of iron and steel.

Other major players in Maanshan include Anhui Huailing Automobile, Shanying Paper, Maanshan Slewing Bearing and Sinosteel Tianyuan Co. Anhui Huailing Automobile, set up in 1970 in Maanshan, is a manufacturer of mixer trucks, tractor trucks and dump trucks. The total assets of this company surpassed RMB 1.2 billion in 2007.

The service sector is the second largest contributor to the city's economy. The value-added output from the service sector rose 13.5% year on year to RMB 15.8 billion in 2007, making up 29.2% of Maanshan's GDP. The logistics sector, with value-added output of RMB 2.6 billion in 2007, comprised 16.5% of the total value-added output from the service sector.

The foreign trade value in Maanshan hit a fresh high of US$2.4 billion in 2007, comprising export value of US$850 million and import value of US$1.5 billion. Exports of mechanical and electronic products rose 60.2% year on year to US$176.7 million, accounting for 21% of the city's total export value. The city has foreign trade relationships with over 120 nations and regions.

In 2007, the city utilized foreign direct investments (FDI) of US$333 million, with a sharp rise of 290% from a year earlier. France-headquartered Saint Gobain set up a pipe systems production line in Maanshan in 1997. The project has attracted total investments of RMB 980 million.

Cultural Highlights

Maanshan's name, which means "horse saddle mountain" in Chinese, comes from a Chinese legend. Legend has it that Xiang Yu, a prominent general in Chinese history, committed suicide in the region of present Maanshan after he was defeated by Liu Bang. Xiang Yu's beloved horse leapt into the river when it saw Xiang Yu die. The people buried the horse saddle in a hill, and the hill became known as Maanshan.

The city's history extends back to Western Zhou Dynasty over 3,000 years ago. In 1956, Maanshan City was set up. Maanshan is famous for Si Hua, a technique of drawing on silk.

Tourist Attractions

The Cai Shi Ji Scenic Area, standing at the food of Cuiluo Mountain, is the most popular scenic spot in Maanshan. The Guangji Temple, one of the earliest Buddhist sites in China, was first built in the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD25-220). Putang Landscape Zone, lying in the eastern part of Maanshan, is also recommendable. It consists of a bamboo sea, clear springs, and a large number of ancient buildings.

Maanshan is home to Cai Shi Cha Gan, which is made of soybean with other ingredients and is a kind of accompaniment to tea. It is also home to Huang Chi Jiang Cai, a kind of preserved vegetables.

Honors

Dubai International Award for Best Practices to Improve the Living Environment (2002)
---United Nations