Foshan: Back to the future

Leads preservation effort as engine to drive growth

Senior city officials from China's four-most prosperous towns of 400 years ago gathered in Foshan on Nov 8 to form an alliance, hoping to recapture the past glory by strengthening economic and cultural cooperation.

The city governments of Foshan in Guangdong province, Wuhan in Hubei province, Jingdezhen in Jiangxi province and Kaifeng in Henan province agreed to exchange theatrical performances and build the cultural brand "China's Big Four Towns" through joint efforts.