Zhuhai (literally: “Pearl Sea”) is a prefecture-level city on the southern coast of Guangdong province in China. Located in the Pearl River Delta, Zhuhai borders Jiangmen to the northwest, Zhongshan to the north, and Macau to the south. Zhuhai was one of the original Special Economic Zones established in the 1980s. Zhuhai is also one of China’s premier tourist destinations, being called the Chinese Riviera. While the city is located in the traditionally Cantonese-speaking region of Guangdong Province, a significant portion of population is now made up of Mandarin speaking economic migrants from inland Chinese provinces. The northern area of the city, the Xiangzhou district, is now part of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen built-up area, the biggest built-up area in the world with more than 44,478,513 inhabitants at the 2010 census encompassing the whole Shenzhen, Dongguan, Foshan, Zhongshan, Macao cities, main part of Guangzhou, and small parts of Jiangmen and Huizhou cities. According to a report released in 2014 by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Zhuhai is the most livable city in China.
Zhuhai borders the Macau Special Administrative Region (north and west), and is 140 kilometres (87 miles) southwest of Guangzhou. Its territory includes 146 islands and a coastline of 690 kilometres (429 miles). The islands within the prefecture-level city of Zhuhai include a number of near-shore islands, often connected to the mainland by bridges or causeways (such as Hengqin, Qi’ao, or Yeli Islands), as well as some islands in the open South China Sea (the Wanshan Archipelago). Some of the latter are actually geographically closer to Hong Kong than to the Zhuhai mainland. The jurisdiction of Nei Lingding Island, located in the Pearl River estuary was transferred from Zhuhai to Shenzhen in 2009.
Zhuhai became a city in 1979, a year before it was designated as one of the first Special Economic Zones of China (SEZ). Similarly to neighboring Shenzhen, which became the first Special Economic Zone of China in 1978, the implementation of Zhuhai as an SEZ was largely due to its strategic position facing Macau, a capitalist trading center similar to Shenzhen’s position with Hong Kong. The establishment of Zhuhai as an SEZ allowed the Chinese Central Government and economy to have easier access to the Macau and consequently, global market. As a result, Zhuhai is now a major city in the Pearl River Delta region according to the new general urban plan approved by the State Council. The implementation of Special Economy Zone intended for the city to become a key port city, science and education city, scenic and tourism city, and as a regional hub for transportation. The outstanding geographic location, a wide range of supporting infrastructure and a deep-water port serve as a major attraction for foreign capital. Industrial development in Zhuhai focuses on 5 new high-tech and heavy industries including electronics, computer software, biotechnology and pharmacy, machinery and equipment as well as petrochemical industries. Aiming to strengthen the existing industrial base as well as to provide a better environment for the development of new high-tech industries, the local government has taken the initiative in developing five economic zones: Zhuhai High-Tech Industrial Development Zone, Zhuhai Free Trade Zone, Harbour industrial zone (provincial level), Wanshan ocean development testing zone (provincial level) and Heng Qin economic development zone (provincial level).
Zhuhai’s and surrounding landscapes has a reputation within China of being a garden city and having a quality of life. In 2002, the city attracted 1.3 million international tourists and 3.64 million domestic tourists. Following Guangzhou and Shenzhen, Zhuhai has the third largest amount of foreign tourism in the Guangdong province, which amounted to billion in 2002. Zhuhai hosts the China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition biannually in November. It is the largest Air Show in China and a huge tourist attraction. Realizing the benefits brought by tourism, the local government is expanding tourist destinations and is developing new spots such as Hengqin, Dong’ao, Hebao, Qi’ao and Yeli. The New Yuan Ming Palace is a park of 1.39 square kilometres (0.54 square miles), including an 80,000 m2 (861,113 sq ft) lake. It features a partial reconstruction of the Old Summer Palace in Beijing, destroyed in 1860 by French and British troops during the Second Opium War, which was never rebuilt on its original site. Coast of Xianglu Bay is the ‘symbol’ of Zhuhai. It has a good view of Zhuhai (Pearl River) Delta with brownish water, rocks, beach, fishing people. The famous landmark of the city – Fisher Girl Statue – is standing elegantly at Xianglu Bay, the statue drapes a fishnet and holds a pearl high in the air with both hands up to the sky. It symbolizes a vigorous and lively Zhuhai welcoming visitors from all over the world.
