Vitality Of Hangzhou Extends Beyond Asian Games Venues

KUALA LUMPUR, July 18 (Bernama) -- The cauldron of the 19th Asian Games will be lit in the Chinese eastern city Hangzhou in which 40 major sports competitions will be staged, injecting passion and vitality into Hangzhou via thrilling performances.

Officially established during the Qin Dynasty, Hangzhou has always been a city of vitality, an endowment from its rich history, fascinating culture and developed economy.

As early as 4,300 to 5,300 years ago, sophisticated rice farming was bred in Hangzhou, fine jade craft was developed and Liangzhu culture, a representative culture in the late Neolithic Age, came into being.

Furthermore, during the Southern Song Dynasty, Hangzhou reached the peak in the development history of ancient cities, cultivating a highly prosperous culture.

Currently, more and more locals and tourists in Hangzhou enjoy experiencing the time-honoured charming culture including visiting the Xiling Seal Art Society, tasting fragrant local tea, and strolling the West Lake in the Song Dynasty traditional attire, among others.

According to the People's Government of Hangzhou Municipality in a statement, Hangzhou raked in a total tourism revenue of 129.8 billion Chinese yuan, last year. (100 Chinese yuan = RM63.25)

In the same year, the added value of Hangzhou's cultural industry totalled 242 billion Chinese yuan, 2.5 percentage points higher than its gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate, which accounted for 12.9 per cent of GDP, becoming an important pillar of economic development.

Today, the development of the Internet and digital technology has replaced the river course of the Grand Canal, linking Hangzhou with all parts of China and the rest of the world. An expansive digital trade network has been established, facilitating the leapfrogging development of the digital economy.

Not only home to more than 10 of the top 100 global digital trade enterprises, Hangzhou also hosts two-thirds of China's cross-border e-commerce export retail platforms and 70 per cent of the national cross-border payment transactions.

E-sports contests were also included in the Asian Games for the first time, a vivid echo of the development of Hangzhou's digital economy.

-- BERNAMA