Changzhi is located in the southeast part of Shanxi Province. It is adjacent to Hebei Province and Henan Province to the east, Jincheng to the south and Jinzhong to the north. The Taihang Mountains and the Taiye Mountains lie to the east and the west of the city, respectively. Changzhi covers an area of 13,864 sq km and has a population of 3.3 million. It has a continental monsoon climate, with dry winters and abundant rainfall in summers.
The city enjoys a very convenient transportation system. The Taiyuan-Jiaozuo Railway and the Handan-Changzhi Railway go through the city, while State Highway 207, State Highway 208, State Highway 309 and the Changzhi-Handan Highway traverse the city. Changzhi Wangcun Airport provides daily flights to Beijing, Shanghai and Xi'an. Taiyuan Wushu Airport and Datong Airport are situated within 3 hours' drive.
Changzhi has rich iron ore, sulfur-iron ore, marble, aluminum and refractory clays reserves. The proven reserves of iron ore exceed 140 million. The proven reserves of aluminum, which mainly lie in Qinyuan and Xianghuan, reach 57.13 million tons. The city also has rich talent resources. There are 4 colleges and universities in the city, with a total of 24,600 enrolled students and 7,116 graduates.
Economic Features
In 2010, the GDP of Changzhi rose 13.7% from a year earlier to RMB 92.02 billion, ranking second in Shanxi, after Taiyuan. The secondary sector, the strongest sector, realized RMB 60.17 billion in value-added output, contributing 65.4% to the city's economy.
The value-added industrial output from the industrial sector grew 19.2% from the previous year to RMB 57.29 billion. Heavy industry and light industry contributed RMB 54.88 billion and RMB 2.4 billion, accounting for 95.81% and 4.19% of the industrial sector.
Coal mining and dressing, metallurgy, coking, electricity production and supply, raw chemicals and chemical products are the major industries in the city. In 2010, the industrial value-added output from these major industries amounted to RMB 41.03 billion, RMB 2.6 billion, RMB 4.71 billion, RMB 1.53 billion and RMB 1.53 billion, respectively.
Changgang Group, founded as early as 1947, was the first iron and steel maker in Taihang Mountainous Region. It is capable of producing 3.6 million tons of iron and steel products per year.
Zhangze Power, listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange in 1997, is a major electricity supplier in Changzhi. In the first half of 2010, the group's operating revenue amounted to RMB 2.3 billion, and net loss reached RMB 146 million.
The service sector in Changzhi is also strong, with added value of RMB 27.83 billion, accounting for 30.2% of the city's economy. The consumer market maintains a strong growth. In 2010, the sales of consumer goods stood at RMB 27.26 billion, representing an increment of 18.4% year on year, ranking sixth in Shanxi Province.
The city attracted more than 10.58 million domestic tourists and 84,300 foreign tourists. The domestic tourism income amounted to RMB 8.88 billion and overseas tourism income of US$ 16.45 million.
The foreign trade value increased 33.2% to US$372.08 million in 2010, consisting of export value of US$42.97 million and import value of US$329.11 million. The export value of mechanical and electric products increased 50.4% to US$9.01 million, accounting for 20.97% of the total export value in Changzhi. The city's major export destinations include the U.S. (US$6.21 million), the E.U. (US$5.85 million) and Korea (US$3.55 million).
The city approved 8 foreign-funded enterprises in 2010, with contractual FDI increased 257% year on year to US$106.12 million. The utilized FDI in the city was US$138.93 million, increased 27% than the figure in the 2009.
Cultural Highlights
Changzhi is one of the birthplaces of Chinese culture. It was the place, where Yandi, the ancestor of the Chinese people, tried diverse medical herbs and taught people how to farm. During the reign of the emperors Yao and Shun, the region was part of Jizhou. During the Shang Dynasty (1600-1100BC), it was the territory of the Li State. During the Warring States Period (476-221BC), it was called Shangdang. In the Northern Zhou Dynasty, its name was changed to Luzhou. It was not until Ming Dynasty that the territory was named "Changzhi", which means “long-term peace and stability”. Changzhi City was officially founded in 1946.
Tourist Attraction
As the cradle of China's ancient culture, Changzhi has plentiful scenic spots, historical sites and natural landscapes. Grand Taihang Canyon is the most renowned scenic spot in Changzhi. Situated in the southeast of Huguan County, it comprises imposing peaks, limestone caves, strange rocks, diverse pools and waterfalls. The canyon also has cultural landmarks, such as the Zhenzhe Palace. Zhezhe Palace was constructed during the Tang Dynasty. It is a complex of Taoist buildings. Faxing Temple, Xiantang Mountain, Lingkong Mountain, Huangya Cave and Shangdang Gate are also worth noting.
The most famous three local snacks in Changzhi are Liang Fen (bean noodle in chili sauce), preserved ham and Su Mi Sao (crispy rice cake). Mutton Soup, Home-style Steaming Dumpling and Licheng Vegetable Pancake are also popular.
Honors
National Garden City (2006) -Ministry of Construction of P.R. China
National Hygienic City (2006) -National Patriotic (Health) Campaign Committee of P. R. China