Wenzhou aims high
( 2003-10-12 09:51) (Xinhua)
Wenzhou, a port city in east China's Zhejiang province, has launched a new campaign to re- build itself into an economic giant.
The campaign was marked by a three-day conference of approximately 1,500 people of Wenzhou origin in this east China coastal city that opened on Saturday, who are now residing in 60 countries and regions.
Li Qiang, secretary of Wenzhou City Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), said they hoped that the meeting participants, most of whom were successful businesspeople from around the world, could contribute to Wenzhou's new goal with their wealth or wisdom.
The people of Wenzhou are renowned in China as acute, canny business people who can turn their hand to any trade profitably. They often start with small businesses such as hauling pedi-cabs and polishing shoes, and gradually turn to tailoring or cloth trading, the odd-jobs that people from elsewhere in the country usually look down upon and will not do.
Some 2 million people of Wenzhou origin live outside their home region, including 400,000 now residing in over 100 countries and regions. Businesspeople of Wenzhou origin have built new numerous trading villages or towns, streets named after their hometown across the world and made themselves known worldwide as the " people of Wenzhou".
Li heralded the 2 million people as a great, valuable asset of information, capital and talent, and a powerhouse for transforming the city of Wenzhou into an economic giant.
With the help of overseas Wenzhou people, more than 100 products made in Wenzhou are directly sold in Europe and the United States, according to Li.
The conference will close on Monday.
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