| Chapter VI. Economy |
The Industrial Regions
A
number of industrial regions of a considerable size as well as many small
industrial centers have been established in China since 1949. Most modern
industries are distributed in groups and clusters, depending on and supported by
each other. They are also generally concentrated and based in cities, especially
large cities. According to official statistics, at the end of 1984, there were
300 municipalities in China, with a total urban population of about 110 million.
Of course, 295 cities had a total industrial production value of 609.8 billion
yuan, accounting for 86.5 percent of the national industrial production value.
In contrast, the nine metropolitan cities each had an annual industrial
production value of more than 10 billion yuan, and 20 large cities each earned
5-10 billion yuan.
Most
of the main industrial areas are concentrated east of and along the
Qiqihar-Tongliao-Beijing-Guangzhou rail line. Other large industrial bases have
also been established in the west, north of the Changsha-Nanning,
Guiyang-Nanning, and Guiyang-Kunming lines, as well as south of the
Lanzhou-Urumuqi, Lanzhou-Baotou, and Beijing-Baotou lines, although they are
less densely distributed than the main industrial areas and smaller in size
China
is currently divided into three main economic (industrial) zones as simplified
in the table.
The
Coastal Zone occupies 14.3 percent of China's total land area, and its
population accounts for 41.3 percent of China? total. Included in this zone
are the 12 coastal provinces: Liaoning, Beijing, Tianjing, Hebei, Shandong,
Jiangsu, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, Hainan, and Guangxi. For obvious
reasons, this is economically and industrially the most developed belt in China
and includes most China's modern industries, especially steel, chemicals,
engineering, and textiles. Here the industrial production value of light
industries is greater than that of heavy industries. In 1985, it had an
industrial production value accounting for 60.3 percent of China? total. In
recent years, with the establishment of special economic zones in Shenzhen,
Zhuhai, Shantou, Xiamen, and Hainan Province as well as the gradual opening up
of all coastal areas, economic and industrial development in this zone has been
rapidly expanded. As a result it now nearly monopolizes all of China? foreign
trade.
The
Middle Zone. Nine provinces Heilongjiang, Jilin, Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Henan,
Anhui, Hubei, Hunan, and Jiangxi comprise this transitional zone, which has an
area occupying 29.4 percent of China? total. Like the east coastal zone, the
middle zone is located mostly in Eastern Monsoon China, with the exception of
Inner Mongolia, which belongs to the eastern part of Northwest Arid China. In
economic and industrial development, this zone is less developed than the
coastal zone but much more developed than the third zone. It comprises the most
important coal and metallurgical industries in China. In 1985, this zone had an
industrial production value accounting for 26.9 percent of China's total. The
production value of heavy industries in this zone is now greater than that of
light industries.
Western
Zone.
Nine
provinces Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia, Xinjiang, Qinghai, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan,
and Tibet- are included in this vast zone, which includes 56.3 percent of
China's total land area and 23.0 percent of China's total population.
Economically and industrially, this is the least developed zone in China (with
the exception of Sichuan province), and has only a small part of China's modern
industries, mostly heavy industries. Industry cities are also very sparsely
distributed. Yet, owing to its vast land area and its rich natural resources,
great capabilities exist for developing hydroelectric, metallurgical, and
engineering industries in the near future. Coal and petroleum extraction are
also very promising in the Northwest Arid China. The production of heavy
industries in this zone is now greater than that of the light industries.
Ten Economic Regions
Very
recently, another economic regionalization scheme has been proposed, dividing
Mainland China into ten economic regions.
Northeast China:
Including Heilongjiangm, Jilin, Liaoning, and Inner Mongolia. It is a heavy
industrial base as well as a comprehensive agricultural base. Eastern Heilongjiang Province is the main coal producer and one of
the most important timber-producing areas in China. It is also important in the
construction and development of heavy industry. Western Heilongjiang province is
the main industries are petroleum, petrochemicals, gold mining, timber and daily
farming. It is the countries largest timber base as well as an important
metallurgy equipment-producing base. Central Heilongjiang and Jilin provinces is
based on heavy industries such as the manufacture of large generating equipment,
cutting and measuring tools, automobiles, railway carriages and chemicals.
North China coastal areas:
Including Beijing, Tianjing, Hebei and Shandong. It is a base for high
technology industries, plus marine, fisheries and cotton production. In Beijing,
Tianjin and Tanggu, there are abundant resources of iron ore, salt, coal and
oil, but limited resources of agriculture raw. Jinan, Qingdao is the region's
heavy and light industries are of considerable scale.
Central China Coastal areas:
Including Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang. It is the base of both high technology
and manufacturing industries as well as the center for finance, information and
education. The Changjiang Delta is the largest comprehensive industrial region
in China.
South China Coastal areas: Including
Fujian, Guangdong, Hainan and Guangxi. It is developed as the base for
export-oriented industry. The Zhu Jiang Delta is the region? raw materials
and heavy industries are comparatively undeveloped. However, it's proximity to
Hong Kong and Macao provides favorable conditions for absorbing foreign capital
and for importing advanced technology.
Upper
reaches of the Chang Jiang: Including Sichuan, Yunnan, and Guizhou. It is
developed as a base for heavy industry and a center for vertical agriculture
production.
Northwest China: Including
Xinjiangm, the Hexi Corridor. It is a base of petroleum and mining industry as
well as important area of farming pastoral production.
Tibet Region:This
is a special area requiring financial aid and technical support from other
economic regions as well as considerable planning.