Fujian Province in China

Whether you are traveling to China for business or pleasure, you will be sure to come across Fujian on your travels. This beautiful province which is situated on the southeast coast of China, is located close to Taiwan and is one of the wealthiest provinces in the country. Despite the fact that farming space is limited by the hilly terrain, the province is rich in agriculture, natural resources and trade.

The name Fujian was first used during the Tang Dynasty. It is a combination of the city names of Fuzhou and Jian’ou – both of which can be found in Fujian. Before you travel to Fujian in China it would be wise to take note of the fact that different parts of the province fall under different administrations. The vast majority of it is governed by the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). However, several archipelagoes fall under the control of the Republic of China (ROC). This unusual situation is an unfortunate byproduct of the Chinese Civil War. According to the history books, ROC forces were forced to retreat to Taiwan in 1949 after losing most of mainland China and Fujian to communist forces. Despite the fact that they had lost so much, they managed to maintain control of the islands of Matsu and Kinmen. Even though much has changed since then, the mainland and other islands have remained under the power of the PRC while Taiwan and these two islands continue to be governed by the ROC. Thus Fuzhou is considered to be the capital of PRC-controlled Fujian, and Kinmen is the capital of ROC-controlled Fujian.

The first thing that will strike most tourists is the alluring scenic beauty of Fujian. High mountains provide a dazzling skyline before plummeting down green hillsides and crashing into the sparkling blue ocean. The highest point of Fujian is Huanggang Peak, which is situated in the Wuyi Mountains. However, it is Mount Wuyi – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – which receives the most attention. Other interesting attractions include the Guanghua Temple, the Kaiyuan Temple, the Youngquan Temple, the Matsu Pilgramage Centers, Gulangyu Island and Mount Tailao. Other facets of the local culture worth exploring are the unique form of Chinese Opera, the delightful variety of seafood that is served at many restaurants, and the tea. In fact, oolong, Wuyi Yancha and Fuzhou jasmine tea all originate in Fujian. You may also find the language very interesting since Fujian is one of the most linguistically diverse places in China. Fortunately the official language is Standard Mandarin, so as long as you understand that language, you should be able to get around just fine.

For those interested in trade in Fujian, the province is probably one of the wisest places to invest in the country. Crops include rice, sweet potatoes, wheat, sugar cane, rapeseed, lychees and tea. Seafood is a major product in the province and trade and investment with nearby Taiwan means that business is booming. Fujians nominal GDP in 2005 was US $ 81 billion and it has been rising steadily ever since. Clearly you simply can’t go wrong if you visit Fujian for either business or pleasure. So book your tickets today!

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