Guangzhou City

Guangzhou (also known as Canton, and less commonly as Kwangchow)[4] is the capital and largest city of Guangdong province in South China.[5] Located on the Pearl River, about 120 km (75 mi) north-northwest of Hong Kong and 145 km (90 mi) north of Macau, Guangzhou serves as an important national transportation hub and trading port.[6] One of the five National Central Cities,[7] it holds sub-provincial administrative status.[8] Guangzhou is the third-largest Chinese city and the largest city in South Central China. As of the 2010 census, the city's administrative area had a population of 12.70 million.[9] Some estimates place the population of the entire Pearl River Delta Mega City built-up area as high as 44,449,738 including 10 out of 12 Guangzhou urban districts, Shenzhen (10.36 million), Dongguan (8.22 million), Zhongshan (3.12 million), Macao (0.55 million), most parts of Foshan (7.20 million), Jiangmen (1.82 million), Zhuhai (0.89 million) and Huyang County of Huizhou (0.76 million) adjoining Dongguan and Shenzhen, with an area of about 17,573 square kilometres (6,785 sq m) Early history Guangzhou's earliest recorded name is Panyu (Chinese: 番禺; Jyutping: Pun1 Jyu4), derived from two nearby mountains known as Pan and Yu in ancient times.[10] Its recorded history begins with China's conquest of the area during the Qin dynasty. Panyu expanded when it became capital of the Nanyue Kingdom in 206 BC; the territory of Nanyue included what is now northern Vietnam. The Han dynasty annexed the Nanyue Kingdom in 111 BC during the empire's expansion southward, and Panyu became a provincial capital and remains so today. In 226 AD, Panyu became the seat of Guang Prefecture (廣州; Guangzhou / 廣府; Guangfu). Although Guangzhou replaced Panyu as the name of the walled city, Panyu was still the name of the surrounding area until the end of Qing dynasty.[citation needed] Today, Panyu is a district of Guangzhou south of Haizhu District separated from the rest of the city by the Pearl River. The Old Book of Tang described Guangzhou as important port in the south of China.[11] In that period, direct routes connected the Middle East and China. A Chinese prisoner, who was captured in the Battle of Talas and stayed in what is now Iraq for twelve years, returned to China by ship on a direct route from Iraq to Guangzhou.[12] Guangzhou was mentioned by various Muslim geographers in the ninth and tenth centuries, such as Al-Masudi and Ibn Khordadbeh.[13] Guangzhou was known as Khanfu خانفو by the Arabs. According to a local Guangzhou government report, the city was sacked by Muslims on October 30, 758.[14][15][16][17] The Arab historian Abu Zayd as-Sirafi mentioned Guangzhou several times in his book The Journey of as-Sirafi (Arabic: رحلة السيرافي), providing a description of daily life, food, business dealings, and the justice system of the city. As-Sirafi also reports that in 878 followers of the Chinese rebel leader Huang Chao besieged Guangzhou and massacred a large number of foreign merchants residing there. The foreign merchants were Arab Muslims, Persians, Jews and Christians[18][19][20] During the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, Guangzhou was the capital of the Southern Han state which existed from 917 to 971, and was one of the most stable of the southern states. The region enjoyed considerable cultural and economic success in this period. From the tenth to twelfth century, Persian women were to be found in Guangzhou. Multiple women originating from the Persian Gulf lived in Guangzhou's foreign quarter.[21][22][23] Some scholars did not differentiate between Persian and Arab, calling them both "Dashi" (Chinese: 大食; pinyin: Dàshí), and some say that the Chinese called all women coming from the Persian Gulf "Persian Women".[24] The Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta visited Guangzhou in the 14th century in his journey around the world. He described the manufacturing process of large ships in the city.[25] During the Northern Song dynasty, the celebrated poet Su Shi (Shisu) visited Guangzhou's Baozhuangyan Temple and wrote the inscription "Liu Rong" (Six Banyan Trees) because of the six banyan trees he saw there. It has since been called the Temple of the 6 Banyan Trees. The Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive in Guangzhou by sea in 1514, establishing a monopoly on the external trade out of its harbour by 1517.[26] They were later expelled from their settlements in Guangzhou (Cantão in Portuguese), but instead were granted use of Macau as a trade base with the city in 1557. They would keep a near monopoly on foreign trade in the region until the arrival of the Dutch in the early 17th century. 17th through 19th centuries It is believed that the romanisation "Canton" originated from the Portuguese: Cantão, which was transcribed from Guangdong (also pronounced Kanton in Japanese). Nevertheless, because at the time of the Portuguese arrival, the capital city had no specific appellation other than the provincial capital (Chinese: 省城; pinyin: shěng chéng; Jyutping: Shaang2 Sheng4) by its people, the province name was adopted for the walled city by the Europeans. The etymology of Canton, as well as the similar pronunciation with the province name Guangdong might have partly contributed to the recent confusion of Canton and Guangdong by certain English speakers. In Guangzhou, the national monuments known as "The Muslim's Loyal Trio" are the tombs of Ming loyalist Muslims who were martyred while fighting in battle against the Qing in Guangzhou.[27] After China gained control of Taiwan in 1683, the Qing government became more open to foreign trade. Guangzhou quickly emerged as one of the most suitable ports for international trade and before long ships arrived from all over the world. The Portuguese in Macau, the Spanish in Manila, Arabs from the Middle East and Muslims from India were already actively trading in the port by the 1690s, when the French and English began frequenting the port through the Canton System. Other companies were soon to follow: the Ostend General India company in 1717; Dutch East India Company in 1729; the first Danish ship in 1731, which was followed by a Danish Asiatic Company ship in 1734; the Swedish East India Company in 1732; followed by an occasional Prussian and Trieste Company ship; the Americans in 1784; and the first ships from Australia in 1788. By the middle of the 18th century, Guangzhou had emerged as one of the world's great trading ports under the Thirteen Factories, which was a distinction it maintained until the outbreak of the First Opium War in 1839 and the opening of other ports in China in 1842. The privilege during this period made Guangzhou one of the top 3 cities in the world.[28] During the war, the British captured Canton on March 18, 1841. The Second Battle of Canton was fought in May 1841. Shop of Tingqua, the painter (1855) From 1855 to 1867 there were a series of battles between the Punti and Hakka peoples known as the Punti-Hakka Clan Wars (土客械鬥). The plague epidemic – part of the Third Pandemic – reached Guangzhou in 1894, causing the death of 60,000 people in a few weeks.[29] In 1918, the city's urban council was established and Guangzhou (Chinese: 廣州; Jyutping: Gwong2 zau1) became the official name of the city in Chinese.[citation needed] Panyu became a country's name to the southern side of Guangzhou. 1930–present Japanese troops occupied Guangzhou from 21 October 1938, to 16 September 1945, after bombing the city. The Imperial Japanese Army conducted bacteriological research in Guangzhou under Unit 8604, a section of Unit 731. After the fall of the capital Nanjing in April 1949, the Nationalist government under the acting president Li Zongren relocated to Guangzhou. Communist forces entered the city on 14 October 1949. The Nationalists blew up the Haizhu Bridge, an important passage across the Pearl River, in order to slow the Communist advance and allow the government to flee to Chongqing. The communist government soon renamed the city's English name to "Guangzhou". A massive exodus followed as many fled to nearby Hong Kong and Macau, and the provincial capital's international status dwindled.[citation needed] The urban renewal projects of the new communist government improved the lives of some residents.[citation needed] New housing on the shores of the Pearl River provided homes for the poor boat people. Reforms by Deng Xiaoping, who came to power in the late 1970s, led to rapid economic growth due to the city's close proximity to Hong Kong and access to the Pearl River. As labour costs increased in Hong Kong and China liberalized its economy, manufacturers opened new plants in Guangdong, including Guangzhou. As the largest city in one of China's wealthiest provinces, Guangzhou attracts farmers from the countryside looking for factory work. Cantonese links to overseas Chinese and beneficial tax reforms in the 1990s contributed to the city's rapid growth. In 2000, Huadu and Panyu were merged into Guangzhou as districts, and Conghua and Zengcheng became county-level cities of Guangzhou. Economy Zhujiang New Town Guangzhou is the main manufacturing hub of the Pearl River Delta, one of mainland China's leading commercial and manufacturing regions. In 2013, the GDP reached¥ 1542 billion (US$248.billion), per capita was ¥120,515 (US $19,459).[37] The China Import and Export Fair, also called the "Canton Fair", is held every year in April and October by the Ministry of Trading. Inaugurated in the spring of 1957, the Fair is a major event for the city. From the 104th session onwards, the Fair moved to the new Pazhou complex, from the older Liuhua Complex. All booths have been transferred to Pazhou Complex, which is served by two stations on Metro Line 8. Also, since the 104th session, the Canton Fair has been arranged in 3 phases instead of 2 phases. Industrial zones Guangzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone Guangzhou Nansha Export Processing Zone The zone was founded in 2005. Its total planned area is 1.36 km2 (0.53 sq mi).[38] It is located in Nansha District and it belongs to the provincial capital, Guangzhou. The major industries encouraged in the zone include auto-mobile assembly, biotechnology and heavy industry. It is situated 54 km (70 minutes drive) south of Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport and close to Nansha Port. It also has the advantage now of Guangzhou Metro line 4 which is currently being extended to Nansha Ferry Terminal Guangzhou Free Trade Zone The zone was founded in 1992. It is located in the east of Huangpu District and located near to Guangzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone. It is situated very close to Guangzhou Baiyun Airport.[39] The major industries encouraged in the zone include international trade, logistics, processing industry and computer software. Guangzhou is considered one of the most prosperous cities in China. But due to rapid industrialization, it is also considered one of the most polluted cities. Culture According to the official People's Daily newspaper, Cantonese is the first language for half of the 14 million residents of the provincial capital Guangzhou, while the other half speak mainly Mandarin.[46] Other languages such as Hakka are spoken in significant numbers as well. The migrant population from other provinces of China in Guangzhou was 40 percent of the city's total population in 2008. Most of them are rural migrants and they speak Mandarin and other local dialects from their hometowns. They have taken on many jobs that the locals are unwilling to do.[47] Shangxiajiu in Liwan District Guangzhou is also known to have a sizeable African population. Many components of the culture in Guangzhou includes: Cantonese Cantonese cuisine Cantonese opera Cantonese people Guangdong music (genre) Guangzhou Opera House Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra Xiguan Religions Buddhism is the most prominent religion. Liang Fa (Leung Fat) worked in a printing company in Guangzhou in 1810 and came to know Robert Morrison (1782–1834, a missionary sent by the London Missionary Society in Britain and the first Christian Protestant missionary in China), who translated the Bible to Chinese and needed printing of the translation. When William Milne (1785–1822, another missionary sent by the London Missionary Society) arrived at Guangzhou in 1813 and worked with Morrison on translation of the Bible, he also came to know Liang Fa. Liang was baptized by Milne in 1816. In 1821, Liang was ordained by Morrison, thus becoming a missionary of the London Missionary Society and the first Chinese Protestant minister and evangelist. Western Medicine was introduced to China in the 19th Century, mainly by medical missionaries sent from various Christian mission organizations, such as the London Missionary Society (Britain), the Methodist Church (Britain) and the Presbyterian Church in the United States. Benjamin Hobson (1816–1873), a medical missionary sent by the London Missionary Society in 1839, set up a highly successful Wai Ai Clinic (惠愛醫館) [48][49] in Guangzhou, China. Liang Fa, Hok Chau (周學), also known as Lai-Tong Chau (周勵堂), and others worked there. Liang Fa baptized Chau in 1852. The Methodist Church based in England sent missionary George Piercy [50][51][52] to China. In 1851, Piercy went to Guangzhou, where he worked in a trading company. In 1853, he started a church in Guangzhou. In 1877, Chau was ordained by the Methodist Church in Guangzhou, where he pastored for 39 years. Due to the social custom that men and women should not be near to one another, the women of China were reluctant to be treated by male doctors of Western Medicine. This resulted in a tremendous need for female doctors of Western Medicine in China. Thus, female medical missionary Dr. Mary H. Fulton (1854–1927[53]) was sent by the Foreign Missions Board of the Presbyterian Church in the United States to found the first medical college for women in China. Known as the Hackett Medical College for Women (夏葛女子醫學院),[54][55] this College was located in Guangzhou, China, and was enabled by a large donation from Mr. Edward A.K. Hackett (1851–1916) of Indiana, U.S.A. The College was dedicated in 1902 and offered a four-year curriculum. By 1915, there were more than 60 students, mostly in residence. Most students became Christians, due to the influence of Dr. Fulton. The College was officially recognized, with its diplomas marked with the official stamp of the Guangdong provincial government. The College was aimed at the spreading of Christianity and modern medicine and the elevation of Chinese women's social status. The David Gregg Hospital for Women and Children, also known as Yuji Hospital (柔濟醫院)[56][57] was affiliated with this College. The graduates of this College included Chau Lee-sun (周理信, 1890-1979) and Wong Yuen-hing (黃婉卿), both of whom graduated in the late 1910s [58][59] and then practiced medicine in the hospitals in Guangdong province. At the end of 1932, the medical center involving the Hackett Medical College for Women and the David Gregg Hospital for Women and Children was put under the control of the Chinese government. Furthermore, it affiliated with Guangzhou Hospital and Lingnan University to form the Sun Yat-Sen Medical College in 1936. There are many sites significant to Islamic culture in Guangzhou including the Great Mosque of Guangzhou, Huaisheng Mosque, one of the oldest mosques in the world. There are two versions of its origins. The first is that prior to 500, before the establishment of Islam, Arab seafarers had established trade relations with China, setting off from Basra at the tip of the Persian Gulf and from the town of Qays (Siraf) in the Persian Gulf. They sailed the Indian Ocean passing Sarandip (Sri Lanka) and navigated their way through the Straits of Malacca between the Sumatran and Malaysian peninsulas en route to the South China Sea. They established trading posts on the southeastern coastal ports of Quanzhou and Guangzhou. Some Arabs had already settled in China and probably embraced Islam when the first Muslim deputation arrived, as their families and friends back in Arabia had already embraced Islam during Muhammad's revelation (610–32). The other version is that the mosque was built by the uncle of the Prophet Muhammad in 627. There are many restaurants influenced by Islamic culture such as Hezhou Halal Restaurant, Wuyang Humin Restaurant, and Maedah Restaurant. accordingly there's also a Muslim Hero Tomb In Guangzhou [60] Buddhism has remained the most influential religion in the life of Guangzhou people.[61] Guangzhou has a Jewish community, Guangzhou Buddhist Association, and Guangzhou Daoist Association.[62][63] There is official pressure against underground, non-registered churches in Guangzhou. email : ruslyjuharjo@gmail.com ruslyabraham@gmail.com

Tokyo

Tokyo is often thought of as a city but is commonly referred to as a "metropolitan prefecture". The Tokyo metropolitan government administers the 23 Special Wards of Tokyo (each governed as an individual city), which cover the area that was formerly the City of Tokyo before it merged and became the subsequent metropolitan prefecture. The metropolitan government also administers 39 municipalities in the western part of the prefecture and the two outlying island chains. The population of the special wards is over 9 million people, with the total population of the prefecture exceeding 13 million. The prefecture is part of the world's most populous metropolitan area with upwards of 35 million people and the world's largest urban agglomeration economy with a GDP of US$1.479 trillion at purchasing power parity, ahead of the New York metropolitan areain 2008. The city hosts 51 of the Fortune Global 500 companies, the highest number of any city.[8] The city is considered an alpha+ world city, listed by the GaWC's 2008 inventory[9]and ranked fourth among global cities by A.T. Kearney's 2012 Global Cities Index.[10]In 2012, Tokyo was named the most expensive city for expatriates, according to theMercer and Economist Intelligence Unit cost-of-living surveys,[11] and in 2009 named the third Most Liveable City and the World’s Most Livable Megalopolis by the magazine Monocle.[12] The Michelin Guide has awarded Tokyo by far the most Michelin stars of any city in the world.[13][14] Tokyo hosted the Summer Olympic Games in 1964 and is scheduled to host again in 2020 Tokyo was originally known as Edo, which means "estuary".[16] Its name was changed to Tokyo (Tōkyō: tō (east) + kyō (capital)) when it became the imperial capital in 1868,[17] in line with the East Asian tradition of including the word capital ('京') in the name of the capital city.[16] During the early Meiji period, the city was also called "Tōkei", an alternative pronunciation for the same Chinese characters representing "Tokyo". Some surviving official English documents use the spelling "Tokei".[18]However, this pronunciation is now obsolete. Tokyo still sees new urban developments on large lots of less profitable land. Recent projects include Ebisu Garden Place, Tennozu Isle, Shiodome, Roppongi Hills, Shinagawa (now also a Shinkansen station), and the Marunouchi side of Tokyo Station. Buildings of significance are demolished for more up-to-date shopping facilities such as Omotesando Hills. Land reclamation projects in Tokyo have also been going on for centuries. The most prominent is the Odaiba area, now a major shopping and entertainment centre. Various plans have been proposed[29] for transferring national government functions from Tokyo to secondary capitals in other regions of Japan, in order to slow down rapid development in Tokyo and revitalise economically lagging areas of the country. These plans have been controversial[30] within Japan and have yet to be realised. The 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami that devastated much of the northeastern coast of Honshu was felt in Tokyo. However, due to Tokyo's earthquake-resistant infrastructure, damage in Tokyo was very minor compared to areas directly hit by the tsunami,[31]although activity in the city was largely halted.[32] The subsequent nuclear crisis caused by the tsunami has also largely left Tokyo unaffected, despite occasional spikes in radiation levels.[33][34] On September 7, 2013, the IOC selected Tokyo to host the 2020 Summer Olympics. Tokyo will be the first Asian city to host the Olympic Games twice.

Beijing

Beijing, capital of the People's Republic of China, is the nation's political, economic, cultural, educational and international trade and communication center. Located in northern China, close to the port city of Tianjin and partially surrounded by Hebei Province, Beijing also serves as the most important transportation hub and port of entry in China.

Beijing, Jing for short, is one of the six ancient cities in China. It has been the heart and soul of politics and society throughout its long history and consequently there is an unparalleled wealth of discovery to delight and intrigue travelers as they explore Beijing's ancient past and enjoy its exciting modern development. Now it has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, with about 140 million Chinese tourists and 4.4 million international visitors in a year.


Beijing is an important transportation hub in northern China. Radiating skyways, roads and railways make it easy for visitors to reach the city. Strolling in Beijing, visitors will find the star-studded skyscrapers, crisscross streets and an endless stream of traffic make it much the same as any other great metropolis elsewhere in today's world


Interested in trying the local food? Beijing Roast Duck and the Imperial Court Food are highly recommended. Nowhere else on earth will you find such a variety of gourmet Chinese restaurants offering the very best of the eight different styles of Chinese cuisine as well as western style dishes. Quality restaurants abound in the city, each offering the highest standards of service and convenience.


Whether you plan to buy curios and tourist souvenirs with traditional Chinese flavor, or you are keen on seeking quality products from world famous brands, you will find Beijing is truly a shopper's paradise. The most famous and popular commercial circles and commercial pedestrian streets in Beijing are predominantly located near the Yansha Shopping Mall, Tiananmen Square and Wangfujing Street, Guomao Shopping Mall, Qianmen Street and Xidan Street, etc.


After a day's Beijing tours, nighttime can hold other surprises for you. These can vary from traditional performances such as the Beijing Opera, acrobatics and martial arts to modern ones including concerts, ballroom dancing, pubs and clubs. Each and every one has its individual enchantment for the tourists. Tianqiao Area and Laoshe Teahouse are good venues for tourists to enjoy Chinese folk culture; while Sanlitun Bar Street and the nearby embassy area is an ideal choice if you are a party-loving night owl.

Singapore

This strategic island called Singapore was first inhabited by regional fishermen and pirates, to later become part of the Sumatran Empire of Srivijaya. European control of the Malaysian area began in the 16th century, and in 1819, Singapore was founded as a British trading colony, and was once the site of one of Britain's most important naval bases. Malaysia itself was formed in 1963 when Singapore and the states of Sabah and Sarawak joined the Peninsular Malaysia Federation, however, Singapore left in 1965 to become a separate nation. This modern economic powerhouse's is one of the busiest in the world, and Singapore has become a major worldwide banking, ship building and petroleum center. In the last few decades, this melting pot of cultures has moved on to the "A List" of international travelers, and is today one of the most sophisticated tourist destination on the planet. A bridge and causeway connect Singapore to the Malaysia mainland, and speaking of land, because of the aggressive current patterns of the Strait of Singapore.

Batam City

Batam City

In 1970 Batam had no cars and roads (98% forest); population was 7,000. McDermott's Batu Ampar yard was Batam's first industrial project, started in 1968. Batam today is a major logistics base for many of the world's major contractors, including Bechtel, Shlumberger, McConnel Dowell, Global Industries, Saipen, Ballast Nedham, Halliburton, Weatherford, Nippon Steel and Hyundai. Over 700 foreign companies have manufacturing or logistics operations on the island.
Electronics is Batam's largest economic sector, followed by oil service/construction, ship repair. The city has grown at 30% per year for each of the past 11 years. Growth in 2002/2003 was closer to 32% per year. Few places in the world are expanding this fast. Despite negative reports in the foreign media, Batam is actually a safe place for the 1.2 million foreign visitors who come each year. Very few ever have a problem. Batam is Indonesia's wealthiest city. Almost no one in Batam comes from Batam. Well over half the 1 million population is single, aged between 20 and 30.
The first thing many notice about Batam is that, even though it is part of Indonesia, in many ways it is a separate entity. Whilst other places are effected by the political and economic climate, Batam remains a constant with none of the the violence or problems located elsewhere. In fact, the economic condition here is more closely related to that of Singapore.
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E-mail: lionvoe@yahoo.com.sg