General Introduction

Shantou City

【General Introduction】

The city is located in the centre of eastern Guangdong, one of China's special economic zones, with an area of 2064 square kilometers and a population of 4,953,500. It administers six districts including Jinping, Longhu, Chenghai, Chaoyang and Chaonan as well as Nan'ao County. It is an important bridge for the Yangtze River Delta, the Pearl River Delta and Taiwan Strait's western coast economic belt. It is also one of China's key gateways to the outside world. Shantou has been honoured with the titles of China Brand Economic City, China Top 100 Investment Environment City, National Intellectual Property Rights Experiment City, National Sanitary City, National Environmental Protection Model City and China Top Tourist City.

【History】

Shantou lies in the Hanjiang River, Rongjiang River and Lianjiang River's outlet to the sea. With various fine ports and the honour of "Century-old Commercial Centre", it is one of the first ports in China opening up to the outside world.

【Economy】

Shantou has eight pillar industries, including electronic information, mechanical equipment, fabric and clothing, craft toys and chemical plastics. Taking advantage of its port status, it will focus on developing port-oriented industries, such as petrochemicals, energy and equipment manufacturing.

Shanwei City

【General Introduction】

Located on Guangdong's southeastern coast, Shanwei City is on the east of Jieyang, on the west of Huizhou and to the north of Heyuan. It covers an area of 5271 square metres with a population of 3,153,600.

【History】

Due to its seaside location, and surrounded by mountains, Shanwei set up passes in strategic places over the past dynasties and became an important sea defense base in Eastern Guangdong. It built 14 beacon towers, 24 emplacements and 2 castles in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Until now, 7 emplacements have been renovated.

【Economy】

Shanwei has five pillar industries of electronic appliances, fabric and clothing, gold & silver jewelry and accessory, food & beverage and electricity generating. Power generating construction develops quickly. The Honghai Bay Power Plant is under construction with an investment of 28.6 billion yuan and a capability of 4.8 million kilowatts. The first unit will be put into operation in 2007.

Chaozhou City

【General Introduction】

Connecting Fujian in the east, Shantou in the south and Meizhou in the north, Chaozhou is Guangdong's eastern entrance point. It administers Chao'an County, Raoping County, Xiangqiao District and Fengxi District. It covers an area of 3613.9 square kilometers with a population of 2,530,000.

【History】

Chaozhou is a national historical and cultural city. It was founded in the sixth year of Xianhe rule (A.D. 331) in the Eastern Jin Dynasty in Haiyang's County, and has a history dating back 1674 years. Emperor Sui Wen repealed the county and set up the state during the Kaihuang Period. Chaozhou was so named because it is where the tide passes.

【Economy】

Chaozhou stresses the development of private economy. It has seven pillar industries, namely ceramics & porcelain, clothing, food, electronics, stainless steel, plastics and printing & packaging.

Jieyang City

【General Introduction】

Jieyang is located in southeastern Guangdong and administers Rongcheng District as well as four counties and cities of Puning, Jiedong, Huilai and Jiexi. It covers a land area of 5240.5 square kilometers with a population of 6,230,000.

【History】

Jieyang has a history of more than 2000 years and is the cradle of Chaoshan history and culture. It is well-known for its local cultures of jade carving, wood carving in golden lacquer, Chaoshan music, Chaozhou opera and Yingge Dance.

【Economy】

Jieyang has long been the merchandise distribution centre for Fujian, Guangdong and Jiangxi Provinces, boasting a robust economy. It has five pillar industries of fabric and clothing, food & beverage, hardware & mechanism, pharmaceutical chemical and electronic information. It is home to six public companies, including Rongtai, Leiyi, Kangmei and Julun. Four companies have currently set up post-doctorate research laboratories.

Line for Journalists

Guangdong Goworld Co., Ltd.

Guangdong Goworld Co., Ltd. is the first to be engaged in the research and manufacture of ultrasonic instruments and transducers in China. Its technology, the volume of production and sales of its products are at the forefront of the industry. Up till now, more than 80 models of Shantou brand ultrasonic instrument have been put into production with the volume of production and sale reaching 100,000 sets.

Office Director: Zhang Rongde

Tel: (0754) 8245666-4331

Shantou Sports Training Centre

Shantou has two national-level training centres for table tennis and diving, and the city boasts quite a few top class athletes. By 2006, 19 athletes had claimed 70 world titles in 7 sports. The city boasts many diving stars, such as Li Hongping, Hu Jia, Sun Shuwei, Lin Yuanxia, Chi Meilan and

Cai Yuyan as well as table tennis stars such as Ma Lin, Liu Zhengguo, Tan Ruiwu, Zhang Yu, Ding Ying and Zhang Jing.

Address: No. 31 Yuejin Road, Shantou City

Tel: (0754) 8287181

Guangdong D.K.D Group

Equipped with an internationally advanced clothing production line, Guangdong D.K.D Group's annual output is 400,000 high-quality suits and 1 million clothes and accessories. Its products are sold to the United States, Japan, Australia, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan region. It is a leading company in China's vocational uniform market.

Address: D.K.D Industrial Town, Zhelang, Shanwei City

Tel: (0660) 3458602

Porcelain Capital of China

Chaozhou has a history of over 1000 years in porcelain production. The city's porcelain production develops and boasts exquisite craftwork, complete varieties and unique style. It is China's largest porcelain manufacturing and exporting region. It was awarded the title of Porcelain Capital of China in 2004. There is a complete display of its porcelain products in the Exhibition Hall of the Porcelain Capital of China.

Address: Fengxi District, Chaozhou City

Tel: 13502632999

Guangji Bridge

The Guangji Bridge is also called the Xiangzi Bridge, built in 1171. It incorporates the functions of beam bridge, arch bridge and floating bridge, an exceptional example in the history of Chinese bridge-building. It is one of China's four famous ancient bridges, along with Zhaozhou Bridge,

Luoyang Bridge and Lugou Bridge. The bridge was severely damaged in earlier years and has recently been rebuilt.

Address: Eastern Chaozhou

Jiedong Economic Development Experiment Zone

Jiedong Economic Development Experiment Zone has 10 public companies. It has eight pillar industries including food & beverage, metal products, mechanic manufacturing, ceramic & porcelain chemical, pharmaceutical research, fabric and clothing, electronic communication, as well as Rongtai chemical city, Julun tyre city, Zuanbao electronic city, moulding manufacturing base, pharmaceutical manufacturing base and food & beverage manufacturing base. Its various projects have been included in the State Torch Program and other state programmes for technological innovation.

Address: Jiedong District, Jieyang City

Tel : (0663) 3262668

Fax: (0663) 3274669

Jade Capital of China

Dongshan District's Yangmei Village is called the Jade Capital of China. In recent

years, the village has developed its own system of jade jewellery and jade carvings manufacturing, supplying and distributing. Its products have been sold at home and abroad. The village has a registered population of 7700. It is home to more than 1730 jade processing companies employing 33,200 people (mostly from outside the village). Over 4700 jade businessmen from different regions have settled in the village.

Address: Yangmei Village, Dongshan District, Jieyang City

Tel : (0663) 8829888

Fax: (0663) 8829999

A Happy Tour

If interested, you can visit following tourist sports after work:

Shantou: Lim Por Yen Plaza, Shantou Bay Bridge, Nanbin Road, Queshi Scenic Spot

Shanwei : Qianqiu Pagoda, Fengshan Mountain, Zu Temple Tourist Spot, Site of Red Palace Red Square, Xuanwu Mountain Tourist Spot, Jinxiang Beach Tourist Spot

Chaozhou: People's Square, Riverbank Corridor, Yi Garden Phoenix Mountain, Tian Pond Dao yun Building, Longhu Stockaded Village, Chaozhou's Eight Scenic Spots

Jieyang: Lingjianbei Road Riverbank Green Belt, Rongjian Music Fountain, Jingming Hotspring Resort, Huangmanqi Waterfall (Jiexi), Dayang Tourist Spot, Shinei River Drifting, Huangqi Mountain, Shuangxi Tourist Spot, Huilai Wind Farm, Huilai Lighthouse, Keniaowei Stalagmite

News Focus

Chaoshan Culture

The four inter-connected cities are located in Guangdong's densely-populated eastern coast. The majority of residents speak Chaoshan dialect, which is a part of the Minnan language family. Chaoshan culture displays obvious Lingnan features as well as characteristics of ancient central China. Chaoshan culture has a universal reputation with representatives of Chanshan dialect, Chaozhou music, opera, Gongfu tea and cuisine. Chaozhou dialect has a rich vocabulary and maintains many ancient Chinese language features. Thus, linguists term it "a living fossil" of ancient Chinese.

Chaozhou Opera

Chaozhou Opera is one of Guangdong's three major local operas and also an ancient branch of opera. It originated in the Ming Dynasty with a history of more than 400 years. It has 4000 ancient stories in archive, and classics like the Story of Lute and the Story of Lichee are still staged for performance.

Chaozhou Music

Chaozhou Music refers to local music from the Chaoshan region. It is elegant, graceful, soft and delicate, showing rich colours and unique tones. It is well-known domestically and internationally,

and is called the Voice of China.

Yingge Dance

Yingge Dance was the folk group dancing originating in the Han Dynasty and reached its modern form after being influenced by northern Yangge Dance during the Ming Dynasty. Performers' faces and costumes are made up and worn to the heroes of Liangshan Mountain. They hold two sticks and are accompanied by gongs, drums and clarions. The Yingge Dance incorporates drama, dance and martial art, and looks highly masculine. The Dance is divided into three kinds in accordance with slow, medium and fast rhythms. Chaoyang was named the Town of China Folk Art (Yingge art) by the Ministry of Culture in 1996.

Chaoyang Folk Paper Cutting

Chaoyang Folk Paper Cutting was introduced by migrants from central China traveling towards the south, during the Eastern Jin Dynasty, and developed under the influence from local customs. Its features include delicately cut designs and symmetrical patterns.

Changyang Ditao Music

The Ditao music evolved from the palace music of the Southern Song Dynasty. Its main instruments include the flute, the guan, the sheng and the vertical flute. Handed down from generations of musicians, it gradually incorporated some local features of the Chaoyang area. It keeps the essence of ancient central Chinese music and is a living artifact through which the roots of Chinese music can be traced.

Chenghai Riddles Written on Lanterns

Chenghai Riddles Written on Lanterns originated from ancient lingos and it is a cultural activity of wisdom. It became a local custom during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and records can be found in the Chenghai county annals dating back to the reign of Emperor Kangxi during the Qing dynasty. It still keeps the Song Dynasty traditional features, and, such is a rare tradition. In addition, there are different ways to guess and to design the riddles.

Shanwei enjoys a reputation of the Village of Opera with three rare ancient operas in the country, Zhengzi Drama, Baizi Opera and West Qin Opera. Zhengzi Drama was introduced to Hailufeng from Fujian during the early Ming Dynasty,Baizi Opera from southern Fujian prior to the Ming Dynasty with over 200 traditional plays including Yangtianmei and Cuimingfeng,and West Qin Opera during the Wan Li reign of the Ming Dynasty. The Ground Rolling Gold Dragon Dance originated in Nanxi Village, Da'an Town, Lu Feng, Shanwei. It started in Emperor Jia Jing's reign during the Ming Dynasty and was passed on from generation to generation. Lufeng Shadow Play is a form of traditional folk art and was brought to the Lufeng region by Fujianese migrants during the Southern Song Dynasty. Currently, the city has about 70 intangible cultural heritages. In May 2006, 9 projects were named Guangdong's first intangible cultural heritages, including Lufeng Zhengzi Drama, Haifeng West Qin Opera, Haifeng Baizi Opera, Lufeng Shadow Play, Lufeng Ground Rolling Gold Dragon Dance, Shanwei Fishmen's Song, Haifeng Kylin Dance, Luhe Hetian Gaojing and Shanwei Qiangu Dance. Among them, 5 were included in the national intangible cultural heritage list, including Lufeng Zhengzi Drama, Haifeng West Qin Opera, Haifeng Baizi Opera, Lufeng Shadow Play and Lufeng Ground Rolling Gold Dragon Dance, providing the city with the greatest number of national intangible cultural heritages in Guangdong.

Chaozhou Gongfu Tea is a part of an elaborate ceremonial art form, which stresses the quality of tea leaves and water, timing and serving techniques. Chaozhou cuisine originated in the Tang Dynasty and became popular during the Ming Dynasty. The most obvious features of Chaozhou Gongfu Tea are the selection of tea leaves, preparation method, delicate choice of food material, fine cooking method and perfect combination of seasoning and nutrition. There are currently many Chaozhou restaurants around the world.

A Hometown of Oversea Chinese

The saying that "the Chaoshan voice is heard wherever there is tide" reflects the influence of the region on the overseas Chinese. These two cities boast a population of 7,480,000, with 5,650,000 overseas Chinese originally coming from here. Most of them live in Hong Kong, Macao, Southeast Asia, Australia and Europe. They have brought Chaozhou culture to the world and have brought back overseas cultures. Their representatives include the well-known Hong Kong entrepreneur Li Ka-shing, international Sinologist Rao Zongyi, patriotic overseas Chinese leader Chen Weinan and international photographer Chen Fuli.

Info Service

Traffic Inquiry

Airline Companies

Shantou Airport Enquiry Tel: (0754) 5799678 8251915

Chaozhou Xinyang Tourist Ticketing Centre Enquiry Tel: (0768) 2218901 2219811

Jieyang Hotel Reservation Tel: (0663) 8622112 ext 2813 Fax: 8633240

Coach service

Shantou Bus Station: (0754) 8222191 8222705

Chaozhou Bus Station: (0768) 2895450 2895938

Shanwei Bus Station: 13929333033

Jieyang Bus Station: (0663) 8612145

Recommended Taxi Companies

Shantou Shunxing Taxi Co., Ltd. Tel: (0754) 8218863

Shantou Zhenqiao Taxi Co., Ltd. Tel: (0754) 8881401

Shanwei Jinshun Taxi Co., Ltd. Tel: (0660) 3355666

Shanwei Fuli Taxi Co., Ltd. Tel: (0660) 3375018

Chaozhou Hongwei Taxi Co., Ltd. Tel: (0768) 2972960

Chaozhou Jinqi Taxi Co., Ltd. Tel: (0768) 2802088

Jieyang Shanyang Taxi Co., Ltd. Tel: (0663) 8217008

Jieyang Yuantong Taxi Co., Ltd. Tel: (0663) 8216300

Recommended Hotels

Regency Hotel Shantou

Add: Jinshadong Road, Shantou Tel: (0754) 8199888 Fax: (0754) 8800004

Meritus Shantou

Add: Jinshadong Road, Shantou Tel: (0754) 8191188 Fax: (0754) 8192288

Lianhua Mountain Resort

Add: Longtouxu, Lianhua Mountain Forest Park, Haifeng County, Shanwei City

Tel: (0660) 6728888 Fax: (0660) 6728054

Chaozhou Guest Hotel

Add: Central Section, Chaofeng Road, Chaozhou Tel: (0768) 2399888

Chaozhou Hotel

Add: No. 1, Chaofeng Road, Chaozhou Tel: (0768) 2333333

Jieyang Temeisi Hotel

Add: Maya Road, Jieyang Tel: (0663) 8223888

Jieyang Yangmei International Hotel

Add: Yangmei Road, Jieyang Tel: (0663) 8829888

Recommended Travel Agencies

Shantou Tourist General Co.,

Add: No. 35, Yuejin Road, Shantou Tel: (0754) 8297611 Fax: (0754) 8293678

Shantou CTS Co., Ltd.,

Add: No. 41, Shanshang Road, Shantou Tel: (0754) 8247000 Fax: (0754) 8252649

Shanwei Dongfang Travel Agency

Add: No. 209, Wenmingnan Road, Shanwei Tel: (0660) 3906456

Shanwei Shanzhilu Travel Agency

Add: No. 10, Alley 1, Yanshu Community, Chengnan Road, Shanwei Tel: 13828991020

Chaozhou CTS Co., Ltd.,

Add: Building 15, Jintian Garden, Chengxinxi Road, Chaozhou Tel: (0768) 2293698

Chaozhou CITS Co., Ltd.,

Add: Luyou Mansion, Chaofeng Road, Chaozhou Tel: (0768) 2284177

Jieyang CTS

Add: No. 6, Xinxing Road, Jieyang Tel: (0663) 8625941

Jieyang Guanghui International Travel Agency

Add: Yanjiangbei Road, Jieyang Tel: (0663) 8625388

Frequently Used Telephone Numbers

Police & Traffic Accident Tel: 110

Fire Tel: 119

Traffic Accident Tel: 122

China Mobile Customer Hotline Tel: 10086

China Unicom Customer Hotline Tel: 10010

China Telecom Customer Hotline Tel: 10000

Climate

Facing South China Sea, the Chaoshan region enjoys subtropical oceanic climate, with an annual average temperature of 21.3 degrees, 2000 to 3000 hours of sunlight and a rainfall of 1672.25 mm per year, which makes it a most comfortable living region.

Need assistance in news coverage, contact following departments:

Information Office of Shantou Municipal Government

Add: Room 325, Government Office Building, No.8, Haibin Road, Shantou

Tel:(0754)8437324, Fax:(0754)8450930

Information Office of Chaozhou Municipal Government

Add: Room 301, Government Office Building, Fengchun Road, Chaozhou

Tel: (0768) 2283962, Fax: (07687) 2283955

Information Office of Jieyang Municipal Government

Add: Floor 10, Government Office Building, Linjiang Road, Dongshan District,

Jieyang

Tel: (0663) 8768177, Fax: (0663) 8768183