Fuyang City

I. The Long History and Culture

Fuyang is located in the northwest of Anhui, in the southern part of the Plain along Yellow River and Huihe River and the western part of Huibei Plain. It is next to Zhoukou and Zhumadian in Henan Province on its west, Xinyang of Henan Province on its southwest, Bozhou on its north and northeast, Huainan on its east and Huaihe River on its south, far across is Liu’an. According to historical record, Fuyang was an area whose geography was around the Yangtze River and Huaihe River, surrounded by different countries at that time -- presently Shangdong, Henan and so on. The city is rich in resources and talents. This is the hometown of ancient elites -- Guanzhong, Pao Shuya and Jikang. The great poets in the Song Dynasty -- Yanshu, Ouyangxiu and Sushi -- had been governors of the city. There is a saying about the city that “it is difficult to tell which is better between Hangzhou and Fuyang.” In the city, there are both ancient relics and cultural heritage. From Xia to Qing Dynasties, each reign had assigned its administrators here. In history, Bozhou and Fuyang (historically known as Yingzhou) in neighborhood south and north had been unified and divided for several times. In the sixth year of Hongwu in Ming Dynasty (AD 1373), Fuyang and Bozhou was unified into Yingzhou for the first time. In the ninth year of Hongzhi (AD 1496) Bo County which was promoted again to Zhou was a part of Fengyang Prefecture with Yingzhou. In the thirteenth year of Yongzheng (AD1735), Yingzhou was promoted to Fu (State), while Bozhou was lowered to county again to be a part of Yingzhou Prefecture. In 1949, Fuyang acquired the capacity of prefectural commissioner’s administrative office. In 1996, Fuyang acquired the capacity of city administration by the State Council, with jurisdiction over two prefectural cities -- Bozhou and Jieshou, seven counties -- Taihe, Lixin, Guoyang, Mengcheng, Yingshang, Funan, Linquan, and three districts --Yingzhou, Yingquan and Yingdong. The whole area of Fuyang is 18,000 km² with 16,500,000 mu arable land and a population of 13,200,000. The population, arable land, and grain yield made up 1% of the national total at the time. In February, 1998, Bozhou became a city under direct provincial jurisdiction. In May, 2000, Bozhou was approved as a perfectural city by the State Council, with jurisdiction over three counties -- Guoyang, Mengcheng and Lixin. Presently, Fuyang is made up of a perfectural city Jieshou, four c

ounties -- Taihe, Linquan, Yingshang and Funan and three districts -- Yingzhou, Yingquan and Yingdong, with an area of 9775 km² and 9,540,000 citizens, the most populous in Anhui Province.

II. Rich resources

Fuyang is rich in natural resources -- bio-energy and mineral resources. The city is widely known as “the capital of liquor” and “the hometown of cattle”. It abounds in wheat, rice, cotton, corn, soybean, sweet potato and traditional Chinese medical material. The city is the national main production area of commodity grain, high-quality cotton, meat and goat slab. Various special products are famous both at home and abroad, such as dehydrated vegetable, hide, Liubian (handicrafts of willow-branches), Gongchun (tender leaves of Chinese toon) and mint. The mineral resources are coal, iron, marble, petroleum and so on. The reserves of coal are up to 800 million tons. The reserves of petroleum and natural gas are also considerable.

III.Great Achievements

Since the reform and open-up, the economic development of Fuyang has achieved a lot. Both the urban areas and the countries in Fuyang have changed greatly. The living standard has been improving. The social utilities have well been developed. Especially after 2003, under the leadership of the municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government, the city has overcome the harm caused by Wang Huaizhong and Xiao Zuoxin's corruption (both were the former officials of the government), SARS and flood. It continues to develop gradually. The city has recovered its political integrity. The people all hope for further development. The economy is also changing for the better. The whole city is stepping into a rapid developing period.

1. The overall economic strength has been enhanced continuously. In 2006, the total output value of the city surpasses 37.8 billion yuan, and the fiscal income reaches more than 3.2 billion yuan, realising the investment of the state fixed assets 15.1 billion yuan. The grain productive capacity keeps at about 4 milion tons. The yield of the main agricultural products, such as wheat, soybean, corn, poultry products and so on, comes out first in Anhui Province. The productive power of coal electricity, chemical industry and processing industry of agricultural sideline products has also been enhanced. The construction of many important projects such as Liuzhuang Coal Mine and Fuyang Thermal Power Plant has been going smoothly, which promotes the rapid devolvement of the whole city.

2. The thought of economical development is clear. According to the specific features of Fuyang, the Municipal Party Committee and the Municipal Government proposed the aim of building Fuyang into a city of dominance in the northwest of Anhui Province, and the objective of economic development in optimizing the first industry -- agriculture, strengthening the second industry -- heavy industry, and booming the third industry -- service industry. They also proposed the Project 6611and imposed importance on encouraging working spirits, increasing cooperation, seeking for the chances and advocating hard-working spirit. The purpose of these propositions is to make Fuyang a city of regional dominance -- in processing industry, providing high quality and safe farming products, and logistics.

3. Fuyang is in the course of becoming the central city in the northwest of Anhui. At the end of the 10th Five Year Plan, the downtown area of Fuyang is about fifty km² with 500,000 people. The status of Fuyang as a commmunication and transportation hub has been more obvious. Fuyang Marshalling Station was planned to be a part of the national ten key hubs which are needed to be constructed. The reconstruction of Luohe-Fuyang Railway has almost been completed. The Jieshou–Fuyang-Bengbu Expressway has already been open to traffic. The construction of Fuyang-Bozhou Expressway, Fuyang-Liu’an Expressway, Fuyang-Huainan-Hefei Expressway, and Yingshang Ship Lock are in rapid construction. The communication network which combines highway, railway, navigation and airway has been improving day after day. The ability to attract investment is increasing. Numbers of companies, such as Shanghai Huayuan, Hongkong Huarun, Jiangsu Daya, Nanjing Yurun, Hebei Dingda, and Xinji Company Group, have invested in Fuyang. Fuyang as a center of logistics has been established for tentative business. The retail total of social consumer goods of the city comes out the second in Anhui Province.

4. Industrialization and urbanization are speeding up. In 2006, the revenue of industrial sales is over 19 billion yuan and keeps increasing for four successive years at XX figure and in stable progress. The course of urbanization is also speeding. People in the country are increasingly moving to urban areas for more demanding progress. In 2005, the rate of urbanization is 28%.

5. Great developments have been made in the construction of the economic zones. The constructed area of Fuyang Economic and Technological Eevelopment Zone is 8.3 km² with 620 million yuan total output value. The fiscal income of the zone is 86 million yuan. The industrial and technological zone construction has been initiated.

6. The social utilities are all in progress, and the living standard of the people is improving. In 2005, the average net income for farmers is 2348 yuan, and the average allocating income of the urban people is 8817 yuan. The range of social security is enlarging. The rate of recorded unemployment is controlled at fewer than 4%. The construction of an ecological city is starting. Consumer variety is increasing, too. Real estate, communication and transportation have become the new hot items of consumption.

IV. Broad Prospects

Fuyang is a city with developing potentials and encouraging future. In the next five to ten years, Fuyang will be developed with the aim of building Fuyang into a city of dominance in the northwest of Anhui Province, and the objective of economic development in optimizing the first industry -- agriculture, strengthening the second industry -- heavy industry, and booming the service industry.

People in the city try hard to make Fuyang to be a regional center of processing industry, a center of providing high qualified and safe agricultural products, and a center of logistics.

1) Economic growth. Under the principle of optimizing industrial structures, increasing efficiency, and lowing energy consumption, during the 11th Five-Year Period, the GDP of the city will increase at the rate of more than 12% (now 14%) annual average. By 2010, GDP will reach more than 60 billion yuan ($1000 per capita) and financial revenue income will be 5 billion yuan. The large industrial sale income will reach more than 50 billion yuan; the annual increasing rate of investment of social fixed assets will be over 20% with 100 billion yuan for five years; The retail total of the social consumer goods of the city will be 25 billion yuan with 12% for annual increase-rate; the value of the foreign trade including exports and imports will be $ 200 million, with 15% for annual increase-rate; the investment for five years will be over 50 billion yuan, targeting 60 billion yuan.

2) The proportion of industrial structure. The structural rate of the three industries will be changed from 35:30.7:34.3 in 2005 to 25:42:33 in 2010. The amount of non-public-owned economy will take up about 70% of the total economic capacity.

3) Urban constructions. During the 11th Five-Year Period, the annual rate of urbanization will be over 1.4%. By 2010, the total rate of urbanization will be 35%.The status of Fuyang as a city of regional dominance is increasing, setting up an urban system with Fucheng as the center, and Jieshou, Taihe, Linquan,Yingshang and Funan as secondary centers. The urban system will have a reasonable space arrangement with urban and suburban areas in harmonious development.

4) Standard of Living. By 2010, the allocating income of the urban residents per capita will be over 11300 yuan with an increase of more than 8% a year. The net income of the farmers per capita will be more than 3000 yuan with an increase of 8% a year, creating 250,000 jobs for urban residents, introducing 500,000 farmers as ready labor force for urban development, and controlling the rate of unemployment under 5%.

5) Social utilities. The ability of technical innovation is increasing. The expansion and introduction of new technology is under way. The nine-year compulsory education is advancing with high quality. The education in senior middle schools, vocational education, adult higher education and advanced education all have made great progress. The range of social security and insurance has been enlarged. The medical condition has been improved obviously with increasing the medical ability gradually. The rate of the range of medical system of the new countryside will be 100%. The natural increasing rate of population will be controlled under about 7‰.

6) Ecological environments. The construction of an ecological city has come into its first stage. The environment pollution has been controlled effectively. The efficiency of resource consumption is increasing. Sustainable development ability is enhancing. Water quality of the main rivers such as Huaihe, Shayinghe, Quanhe, and so on, will up to the National Standard IV, the air quality can reach the national standard II for 310 days. The rate of sewage treatment can be more than 45%. The rate of garbage disposal can be over 80%. The public green land per capita can be more than 6 square meters. The forestry coverage rate of the city can be 20%.