In the hinterland of the Yangtze River Delta, Anhui's economy rose sharply following China's reform and opening-up over the past three decades, with its GDP increasing faster than the national average.

Last year, the provincial GDP reached 1.05 trillion yuan, an increase of 12.9 percent from 2008, to enter the nation's "trillion club" for the first time.

Since reform began Anhui attracted $24.73 billion in foreign direct investment by the end last year. Forty-eight companies on Fortune 500 list now have operations in the province.

In 2008 the inland province began to grasp the opportunities presented by relocating coastal industries and those from abroad.

Anhui is now accelerating development of the Industrial Transfer Demonstration Zone in the Anhui Yangtze River City Belt, an east-west zone that offers a new home for companies from the east and overseas that are relocating their manufacturing facilities.

Anhui, with an area 139,600 sq km, has a population of 68 million. Its tourism attractions include the Huangshan Mountain--a world cultural and natural heritage site--along with well-preserved ancient residential compounds throughout southern Anhui--remnants of the prosperous Anhui merchants--and the Jiuhua Mountain, home to renowned Buddhist temples.

By Zhao Shijun (China Daily)