Kung Fu capital Foshan now a modern industrial base

By Li Qian (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2008-11-14 22:23

Foshan, the hometown of Kung Fu legend Bruce Lee, is well on its way to become the world's manufacturing center for home appliances and ceramics.

In fact, Foshan, also the birth place of China's Lingnan culture, which highlights lion dance and Yue Opera, has already developed into an industrial powerhouse in South China's Pearl River Delta region.

A visitor looks at an earthenware at a ceramics exhibition in Foshan, South China's Guangdong Province, Noember 13, 2008.[Li Qian/chinadaily.com.cn]

Known as the hometown of martial arts, Foshan is a major cradle of the south school martial arts. Famous Kung Fu master Huang Feihong and star Bruce Lee, of Foshan origin, learned martial arts in the city, hometown for millions of overseas Chinese.

Located 40 minutes drive east of Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong Province, this ancient cultural city has grown into China's fifth-largest industrial city, with the annual industrial output nearing one trillion yuan in 2007. A number of brands such as Media, Chimei has become well-known around China.

Foshan's vitality comes from its large numbers of competitive privately-owned enterprises, which contribute 65 percent of the city's economic growth. It also promotes itself as the best foreign investment spot in China.

"Our aim is to build Foshan into a modern manufacturing base and service center for enterprises in our city," Lin Yuanhe, secretary of the Foshan city committee of the Communist Party of China, said during a press conference on November 13, 2008 briefing the city's achievements in the past 30 years of reform and opening-up.

Electronic appliances, textiles, ceramics and a lot more products made in Foshan occupy a large market share in the country. Last year, its appliance output, worth 130 billion yuan, accounted for 15 percent of the industry in China.

Foshan is also poised to become the country's largest producer of LCD (liquid crystal display) parts.

Ceramics has 500 years of history in Foshan, and manufacturers polished the name of "Capital of Ceramics" by creating new materials and designs for ceramics used in construction and furnishing.

Now the industrial city is confident and capable of overcoming difficulties as the global financial crisis is squeezing its overseas market, said the official.

"We will further improve its infrastructures and people's lives," Lin said.