A gem that is no longer hidden

City has spurned quick profits and breakneck development for steady eco-friendly growth

Editor's note: Zhuhai is a coastal city in South China's Guangdong province and a neighbor of the Macao Special Administrative Region. It will soon be connected with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region when the Y-shaped Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge opens in about a year. The city is the preferred venue for a growing number of international events and has aroused increasing interest from international media in recent years. China Daily is running an in-depth special report today on why the city is so eye-catching.

For a new city with a history of only 36 years, Zhuhai is already well-known, which can in part be attributed to its positive impression on those attending international events hosted in the city and the thumbs up it has received in foreign media reports.

Zhuhai hosts the biennial Airshow China - one of the world's top air shows - and China International Circus Festival, in addition to an array of annual international events such as trade fairs, music festivals and sporting events.

Two international events - the Zhuhai International Mozart Competition for Young Musicians and the Women's Tennis Association Elite Trophy - made their debut in the city in the second half of this year; and the city is planning to stage an international sailing competition to diversify its sports calendar.

The Mozart music contest will be held in the city every other year from this year on, while the tennis tournament will be held annually from 2015 to 2019. The inaugural sessions of both events were a big success.

"When I was invited to Zhuhai the first time in November 2013, I was immediately impressed by the beauty of the city and by the great efforts done by the people to create an entire cultural district with different halls for concerts, operas and exhibitions," said Paul Roczek, violin professor at the Mozarteum University of Salzburg and chairman of the violin jury of the music event. The university is the co-organizer of the music contest.

"This first event was a big success and a great start for a long and fruitful relationship between Zhuhai and Salzburg. My wish is that it will become possible to give this event a regular two years rhythm so that Zhuhai will become a landmark for a very important youth competition; a place known for excellent young musicians around the world," he said at the closing ceremony of the international competition in September.

Micky Lawler, president of the WTA, holds an equally positive attitude toward Zhuhai.

"The people are generous and the city's environment and the proximity to Macao are great," she said.

Peter Johnston, tournament director of the WTA event who formerly served as WTA's managing director for the Asia-Pacific region, said: "It will be one of the great tennis destinations in the world, and for sports in general, because you can accommodate all types of players in a city that is very accessible."

Media attention

More and more reports about Zhuhai's development have appeared on international media, including The Wall Street Journal and Washington Post, The Daily Telegraph, Le Figaro and Handelsblatt.

In addition to reporting on international events hosted by the city, they are likewise curious about Zhuhai's industrial development, eco-friendly approach to economic development, its opening-up and its cooperation with Hong Kong and Macao, as well as foreign-funded projects and the development and reforms of Hengqin Free Trade Zone, among other things.

Jean-Jacques Verdun, a businessman from France, has lived in Zhuhai for 14 years. When interviewed by a freelancer from Australia, he said, "Zhuhai is a bit of a hidden gem."

According to Verdun, Zhuhai has never aimed at attracting low-end manufacturing like many other cities in China.

"Zhuhai has spurned quick profits and breakneck development for steady and eco-friendly growth," Verdun said.

"Zhuhai's prescient strategy to target high-end industries and stringent measures to protect the environment have proven that economic growth and ecological protection can go hand in hand," said Sun Xiaopeng, a senior consultant with a public relations agency in Guangzhou.

"In a sense, the city has provided a scientific approach to development that many other cities in China can learn from," Sun said.

At a ceremony celebrating the 35 anniversary of the foundation of the Zhuhai Special Economic Zone in August, Li Jia, Party chief of Zhuhai, said the city government has never attempted to develop labor-intensive industries and earn quick money at the expense of resources and environment.

"Zhuhai has always prioritized environmental protection and people's welfare in its opening-up and development," he said.

"This strategy has ensured Zhuhai has an ecological environment better than many other Pearl River Delta cities, with richer land reserves, fewer low-end industries, and better balanced density and quality of life."

Zhuhai aims to grow into a livable international city by around 2020 with an excellent environment and a modern industrial system featuring advanced equipment manufacturing, high-tech industries, high-end services, eco-agriculture and marine industries.

zhanlisheng@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 12/17/2015 page6)