Suzhou, paragon of China's revitalized old town

NANJING - Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, inspected the city of Suzhou in East China's Jiangsu province from Wednesday afternoon to Thursday morning.

On his itinerary was the historical and cultural block of Pingjiang Road, where he learned about efforts in historical and cultural city protection.

Pingjiang Road is a well-preserved ancient block of Suzhou's old town, whose rejuvenation in recent decades is a paradigm of China's drive to push urban renewal while preserving cities' cultural roots.

With a history of 2,500 years, Suzhou is referred to as heaven on earth in a famous Chinese adage.