Rui'an
 | |
| Administration Type | county-level city |
| Area (Land) | 1271 km² |
| Area (Sea) | 1766 km2 |
| Coastline | 339 km |
| Population | 1,125,000 |
| GDP | Unknown per capita |
| Major Nationalities | Han |
| Township-level divisions | Unknown |
| Mayor | Unknown |
| Regional dialect | Wu and Minnan: Wenzhouhua (温州话) |
| Area code | 0577 |
| License Plate Prefix | 浙C |
Rui'an (Chinese: 瑞安; pinyin: Ruì'ān) is a county-level city on the eastern coast of China, in the south of Zhejiang province. It is administered by the prefecture-level city of Wenzhou. It has a population of 1,125,000 people and covers an area of 1271 km2, 3037 km2 including sea. Natives of the city speak the Rui'an dialect of Wu Chinese.
Rui'an was recognized as the fourteenth development zone by the state department in 1987. Rui'an is also one of the top 100 cities for economic growth in china, and the people in Ruian are comparatively well-to-do. In all, there 32 towns and villages under the administration of Rui'an city. In 1988, Ruian was listed by the State Council as one of the first counties and cities opening to the outside world, as well as one of the trial counties and cities for comprehensive economic reforms. In 2001 it won the titles of “Star County” and “Advanced County in Sports”.
History
Rui'an, also known as Meitou, has a history which goes back to about 2000 BC, when it became known for its machine production. The historic city began its trade and commerce in ancient times and saw busy streets and flourishing businesses. In the 2nd century BC it was called the Kingdom of Dong'ou. Under the Tang Dynasty, it was promoted to prefecture status and given its current name in 675 AD.
Economy
Rui'an has been a rich and prosperous city since ancient times. However, it was not until the practice of economic reform and opening that Rui'an regained its momentum. The people of Rui'an have been pioneers in many fields, especially in the development of China's market economy in the form of joint-stock system.
They set up the household contract responsibility system which would encourage the citizens to take lead in the household industries and they tried their best to sell their products. Consequently, Rui'an experienced fast economic development. The government induced the rural entrepreneurs and shareholders to co-operate effectively. Many kinds of economic systems have been introduced in Rui'an, making regional development speedier. One such system is the famous “Wenzhou Pattern“, which became well known both in China and abroad.
In 2005, Rui'an ranked 39th place in comprehensive economic strength among the first 100 counties and cities of china. In the 20 square kilometer economic development zone at the provincial level, there is enthusiasm for capital investment in building Rui'an into a new urban area with comprehensive development of industry, trade, science and technology. Rui'an is also known for its production of plastics and auto accessories.
Transportation
The infrastructure of Rui'an has become better and better, with an ever-quickening pace of urbanization. Now, it has modernized traffic control systems, transportation and communication. The Wenzhou Yongqiang Airport, the 10,000-ton seaport and the railway station are each less than 30 kilometers from the city proper. The coastal super highway and the No.104 state highway which run across the city, and the Rui'an station on the Wenzhou–Fuzhou railway are a few examples of developments in transportation in Rui'an.
Resources
As a coastal city, Rui'an is rich in natural resources. About 100 nautical away miles from the estuary of Feiyunjiang, there lie under the seabed rich crude oil and natural gas reserves, which are now being prospected and developed.[citation needed]
Ruianese Ex-pats
Rui'an has been famous for its expatriates in China since the Song Dynasty. In spite of all difficulties and perils, Rui'an people have left their native land travelling to foreign countries to create businesses. At the present, more than 80,000 Rui'anese ex-pats occupy 60 countries, and nearly 120,000 ex-pats’ families. There is almost 1 Rui'anese among 5 ex-pats in France and Italy.
References
- Zhejiang Online - Ruian
- China Hotel Reservations - Ruian
- Global Voices Online - Video evidence of protests in Ruian emerges
Coordinates: 27°47′00″N 120°37′30″E / 27.78333°N 120.62500°E
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||