Baoji

Official Website: http://www.baoji.gov.cn/col/col26/index.html

Baoji, called “Chencang” in ancient times, is the second biggest city in Shaanxi Province. Covering an area of  about 18,161.9 km² with a population of 3.32 million (according to the latest data of the seventh census in 2020)，it holds jurisdiction over 3 districts, 9 counties, one state hi-tech development zone, and one provincial eco-tech development zone. The city boasts 48 tourist attractions (points). Two 5A tourist attractions are Famen Temple Buddhist Culture Scenic Area and Taibai Mountain National Forest Park.

Advantageous Geographical Locations

Surrounded on three sides by hills, Baoji is in a valley opening out to the east. Its location is strategic, controlling a pass on the Qinling Mountains between the Weihe River valley and the Jia Ling Jiang River. Passing through Baoji is the ancient Northern Silk Road, the northernmost route of about 2,600 kilometers (1,616 miles) in length, which connected the ancient Chinese capital of Xi'an to the West over the Wushao Ling Mountainto Wuweiand emerging in Kashgar before linking to ancient Parthia.

Baoji is one of the hubs of communications in Shaanxi province, which connects the Eastern China with Western China, and links the Northern China with Southern China. It also has been selected by China Central Government to be one of the sub-central cities in the development of Guanzhong--Tianshui Economic Zone. With Xi’an to the east, Lanzhou of Gansu province to the west, Chengdu of Sichuan province to the south, and Yinchuan of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region to the north, Baoji is the communication center linking the four above-mentioned capital cities. What’s more, Baoji is also surrounded by some other cities, such as Hanzhong, Xianyang, Qingyang, Pingliang, Tianshui, Guangyuan. Baoji therefore is one of the most essential beachheads in Western China Development. There are well-connected communication networks in Baoji, Longhai Railway, Baocheng Railway, and Baozhong Railway crossing here, Xibao Expressway and Baotian Expressway linking each other here and State 310 highway and Provincial 212 highway running through Baoji area. One can reach Xi’an International Airport within 90 minutes’ drive. The communication of Baoji has been dramatically updated because of the establishment of Xi’an-Baoji express railway, Baoji-Lanzhou express railway, Baoping Expressway, and the affiliated airport.

Long History and Rich Culture

Baoji is one of the oldest regions where the ancestors of Chinese had once lived and multiplied. It is the birthplace of Emperor Yandi---one of the two ancestors of Chinese nation and the cradle of the civilization of the Zhou and Qin Dynasties. As stated in the Book of Historic Records( also called Shi Ji), Emperor Yandi was born about 5,000 years ago at Qingjiang River basin in Baoji area, where he had been teaching the locals how to sow and reap. This led to the beginning of Chinese farming. The Western Zhou Dynasty had its capital established in Baoji area for over 290 years. What’s more, 19 princes and dukes in the Qin Dynasty had founded their respective capitals in Baoji area. Among them, The King Qinmugong, one of the five Powers during the Spring and Autumn Period in China, had managed to obtained the dominant position among the the Powers. Many historic events ever happened on this holy land, such as the publication of two classics, Zhou Li and Zhou Yi, in the Zhou Dyansty, which have everlasting and in-depth influences over Chinese nation for over 3,000 years, Duke Zhou-Gong trying his utmost efforts to solicit all the excellences to manage the Zhou Dynasty, Duke Jiangtaigong waiting for being recruited by the King Wen Wang to assist him while pretending to go fishing on the angling platform, the King Liu Bang in the Han Dynasty managing to make a secret detour to attach his counterpart in Baoji area while building the wooden walkways along the cliffs in another different place, and Chancellor Zhigeliang launching six wars in Wuzhangyuan in Baoji area. As the birth place of Emperor Yandi, Baoji, therefore, has become hometown of all the Chinese people in the world.

Solid Industrial Power

Baoji is one of the most essential industrial bases in Western China and one of the top cities in China specializing in the equipment manufacturing. There are 5 public listed companies and 512 industrial enterprises with annual revenue over RMB 5 million. The total power in the equipment manufacturing is second only to that of Xi’an in Shaanxi Province, and is in the leading position in the respective circles all over China. It has established advantageous and characteristic industrial powers in the smelting and processing of non-ferrous metal, automobile and spare parts manufacturing, machine tools, and railway line equipment and oil field equipment, electronic devices, aviation security equipment, of which the annual production capacity of the heavy duty and middle-sized trucks ranks the first three places all over China, more than 40 kinds of products have been enjoying high ranking reputation all over the world, including CNC machine tools, oil field equipment, oil pipelines and tubes, electronic devices and instruments, iron bridge girders, railway lines switches, cigarettes, Chinese Liquor, and the sales volume of over 60 kinds of products has been atop all the world. Baoji also is called the Valley of Silicon in China because 85% of the Titanium products have been processed in here, which covers the same ratio of the market share.

Abundant Natural Resources

Baoji is one of the most important production bases for commodity grains, of which Qinchuan Cattle, Chinese red pepper, and kiwi fruits have been enjoying high reputation all over China. The reserves of Zinc-lead rank the third place in China. The proved reserves in Linbei coalfield is about 3 M/T ton, which is second only to that of the coalfield in Northern Shaanxi. Baoji also has abundant cultural relics and heritages and tourism resources, and is called the hometown of the bronze wares because quite a number of bronze wares have been unearthed for over 2000 years since the Han Dynasty. The inscriptions on drum-shaped stone blocks of the Warring States Period were excavated in Baoji, which is the earliest rock inscription in China. The Famen Temple is known through the world for presenting the finger Sarira of Sakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism, for having been the royal temple in the Sui and Tang Dynasties. One can experience four definite seasons in one day and can enjoy different weather conditions within 5000 meters’ walk when climbing Taibai Mountain, which is the demarcation line for Northern China and Southern China, and is the watershed for the climates for Northern China and Southern China, and is called the Gene bank for living creatures and the natural museum for geology.

Favorable Residence and Investment Environment

Baoji is one of the best destinations for investment in Western China. These years, painstaking and unremitting efforts have been made in building up the most favorable residence and investment environment in Western China, in setting up convenient tri-dimension traffic networks, in expanding the current urban districts eastward and northward. The ecological landscapes have therefore been brought: two belts of forests and a sheet of water in the urban of Baoji has enhanced each other’s charm, which produces a picture that the city is in the forest belts and a sheet of water is in the city. Baoji has achieved varieties of titles of honors successively, such as National Sanitation City, National Environmental Protection Demonstration City, National Park City, National Water-saving City, National Forestry City, National Finance Ecological Demonstration City, National Quality Environmental City, National Residence Environment Award City, and Baoji has been selected as the one of the experimental cities to conduct new round of medical insurances and endowment insurances, and the fully coverage and seamless social security network has taken shape, which has provided sound and competent safeguard to accelerate the overall development.

Economic Growth

These years, while focusing upon taking the lead in realizing the industrialization in Western China, realizing to build up modernized mega city, and realizing overall moderate prosperity, the municipal committees of CPC Baoji and Baoji Municipal People’s Government have been adhering to the guidelines of the Scientific Development Outlook in leading the general social and economic development, have been adhering to giving priority to accelerating development, projects construction, innovation, and enriching and benefiting people, and have been striving for breakthroughs in eight fields, such as the capacity building for big businesses and groups, increasing incomes for farmers, mega city construction, industrial zones development and the development of cultural and tourism industry. All these have managed to assure the fast, overall and balanced social and economic development in Baoji.

In 2020, Baoji's gross regional product reached 227.695 billion yuan, an increase of 3.3% over 2019. Among them, the value added of the primary industry is 20.514 billion yuan, an increase of 3.4%; the secondary industry is 126.118 billion yuan (an increase of 4.3%) and the tertiary industry 81.063 billion yuan (an increase of 1.7%).

At present, Baoji has stepped into the new period for realizing the overall moderate prosperity, and has been entered into the golden era for development.