As usual, we end our S3 Newsletter with news items that are only loosely related to the business world. On this occasion, we will continue both with the list of large, yet little-known Chinese cities, as well as with the list of the most beautiful national parks in the country.
Large, yet little-known cities in China
After placing Wuhan (central China), Shenyang (northeast), Guiyang (southwest), Shaoxing (east), Chengdu (west), Fuzhou (southeast), Hainan Island (south), Xi’an (northwest), Nanjing (east), Kunming (southwest), Harbin (northeast) and Lhasa (southwest) on the map, we move back to the central-southern region of the country, where we find the capital of Hunan province: Changsha.
With a population of over 8 million people, the city of Changsha is the typical important Chinese metropolis, representing not only the province of Hunan, but also in general the central-southern region of the Middle Kingdom. Additionally, Hunan province is known, among others, as the birthplace of Mao Zedong, the communist leader who played a major role in China’s history, founding the People’s Republic in the year 1949.
It should be noted that Changsha has a history of urban development stretching back 2.400 years, since it appeared in historical documents known as Yi Zhou Shu, dating from the 4th century BC.
In the following centuries the ‘Changsha Kingdom’, as it was known at that time, became renowned for the invention of the first underglaze porcelain, that was exported to the Middle East, Africa and Europe.
In the 21st century Changsha is above all a major economic engine in the country, attracting investments from Japan, South Korea and Singapore. The city is also, since 2015, home to the Spanish consultant Yolanda González, who has been in the past a regular collaborator for S3 Group. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/yolandagonzalezgarcia).
The ten most beautiful national parks in China
We continue this list presenting to our readers the ten most beautiful national parks in China (from a total of 225 candidates). The ‘Guilin and Lijiang River National Park’ is a scenic region that is part of the Guangxi Autonomous Region. Its river basin covers an area of over 19.000 km2, only slightly inferior to the territories of countries like Israel or Slovenia.
Pretty much any Chinese citizen actually knows this national park, as one of its most famous sceneries is the basis for the design of the 20-yuan bank note. Many of the tourists that visit the region every year tend to do so by means of the multiple river cruise boats that allow them to peacefully enjoy the beauty of the park.