Longwan, a promising new center in Wenzhou

Longwan district will be a promising new center of Wenzhou in East China's Zhejiang province. [Video provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

GDP: 92.24 billion yuan (2023)

Registered population: 344,939 (2023)

Location: southern banks of Oujiang River estuary, Wenzhou city, East China's Zhejiang province

Area: 323.09 square kilometers

Administrative divisions:

Established in December 1984, Longwan district governs 10 sub-districts, of which four sub-districts – Shacheng, Tianhe, Haicheng and Xinghai – are entrusted to Wenzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone for management, while the other six sub-districts – Yongzhong, Puzhou, Haibin, Yongxing, Zhuangyuan and Yaoxi – are administered by Longwan itself. It has jurisdiction over 25 communities and 52 administrative villages.

Economy:

In 2023, Longwan district generated a regional gross domestic product or GDP totaling 92.24 billion yuan ($13.15 billion).

It is home to the Wenzhou National High-tech Industrial Development Zone, the Ningbo-Wenzhou National Innovation Park, the core area of the Wenzhou Sci-tech Innovation Corridor Around Daluo Mountain and to Zhenan Technology City.

High-level innovation platforms such as the Wenzhou Institute of University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, China Eye Valley and the Oujiang Laboratory have settled there.

An industrial ecosystem has formed in the district. This features traditional industries such as valve manufacturing, stainless steel, shoemaking and clothing. It also features emerging industries such as the digital economy, intelligent equipment and life health, all of which are developing in a coordinated way.

Tsingshan Holding Group, the only Fortune Global 500 company in Wenzhou, is also situated in Longwan.

Transportation:

Longwan district has a sea-land-air traffic network. The annual passenger throughput of Wenzhou Longwan International Airport exceeds 12 million. The Ningbo-Taizhou-Wenzhou Expressway, Airport and Ouhai avenues run through the district, while Rail Transit Lines S1 and S2 meet in Longwan. Plans are for Longwan to become a comprehensive traffic center serving southern Zhejiang and northern Fujian province.

Culture:

Facing the East China Sea to the east, Longwan is backed by Daluo Mountain. It is home to the Qianfo Pagoda, built in the Song Dynasty (960-1279), Yongchang Castle built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and other key historical and cultural sites under national-level protection.

It has also been home to a raft of leading figures throughout the ages, such as Zhao Jianda, a zhuangyuan – candidates who took top place in the annual national-level recruitment exams for officials – who lived during the Northern Song Dynasty (1127-1279).