City Introduction of Zhejiang, China: Quzhou

Quzhou

Major Economic indicators (2007)

Source: Quzhou Economic and Social Development Report 2007

Introduction

Quzhou is situated in the western part of Zhejiang Province and in the upper reaches of the Qiantang River. Located at the intersection point of Zhejiang Province, Anhui Province and Jiangxi Province, the city borders Nanping to the south, Shangrao (Jiangxi) and Jingdezhen (Jiangxi) to the west, Huangshan (Anhui) to the north, and Jinshan, Lishui and Hangzhou (all in Zhejiang Province) to the east. It is within 4 hours’ drive from Quzhou to the four capital cities of Zhejiang Province, Anhui Province, Jingxi Province and Fujian Province.

The city is easily accessible. Quzhou Airport offers flights to Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and several other major cities in China. The Hangzhou-Jinhua-Quzhou Highway, the Huangshan-Quzhou-Nanping Highway, the Hanghzou-Xin'anjiang-Jingdezhen Highway and the Longyou-Xin'anjiang Highway all run through the city. Shanghai Port and Ningbo-Zhoushan Port, the top two ports in China by container turnover in 2007, are 450 km and 366 km from Quzhou, respectively.

Quzhou has a subtropical monsoon climate, with an average temperature of 16.5 C. The two rainy seasons in the city usually fall in the period from March to June and in September.

Economic Features

Quzhou is relatively a small city in Zhejiang in terms of GDP in 2007. The GDP of the city rose 15.5% year on year to RMB 46.8 billion, ranking ninth in Zhejiang. Primary, secondary and tertiary industry contributed 12.3%, 51.2% and 36.5% to the city’s GDP, respectively.

The gross industrial output of the city hit RMB 57.7 billion in 2007, representing an increase of 35.4% from a year earlier. Heavy industry and light industry gained RMB 43.4 billion and RMB 14.4 billion in gross industrial output, accounting for 75% and 25% of the city’s industrial output, respectively.

Chemicals, machinery, construction materials, metallurgy, paper making, textiles, and electricity production and supply are the main industries in the city. The gross industrial output from these industries was RMB 45.3 billion, 78.5% of the city’s total.

Zhejiang-based Juhua Group, set up in 1958, specializes in producing and supplying raw chemicals and chemical products. Its production base in Quzhou, covering an area of 7.3 sq km, is the largest chemical industry base in Zhejiang. In 2007, Juhua achieved sales revenue of RMB 7.25 billion.

The value-added output from the service sector reached RMB 17.1 billion in 2007, growing by 14.5% from a year earlier. The wholesale and retail and food and beverage sectors are the main contributors to the city’s tertiary industry, with total value-added output comprising 23.7% of the total.

The total foreign trade value in Quzhou amounted to US$1.1 billion in 2007, a sharp rise of 65.8% from the previous year. Exports jumped up 55.7% year on year to US$722 million. The value of exports to the U.S., Europe, South Korea and Hong Kong hit US$125 million, US$119 million, US$56 million and US$54 million respectively, together accounting for 49% of Quzhou’s export value. Exports of chemicals, petrochemicals, textiles, mechanical and electronic products added up to US$501 million, comprising 69.3% of Quzhou’s total.

In 2007, Quzhou attracted foreign investments totaling US$262.9 million. The utilized FDI in the city rose 1.8% to US$40.1 million.