Six Key Words to Depict the New Shaanxi

Over 2100 years ago, a Han Delegation with over 100 people set off westward from Chang'an (Xi'an) and trod out the ancient Silk Road that runs through Asia and Europe. Over 2100 years later, the ancient Silk Road shoulders another mission. With the Silk Road Initiative, Shaanxi once again is at a new starting point, ready for another round of fast development.

On July 5, the global presentation of Shaanxi organized by Ministry of Foreign Affairs was held in Beijing. With a long ancient history, the modern Shaanxi is on the way of becoming more and more opening-up, civilized, prosperous, harmonious, beautiful and creative.

Freight Trains Revitalizing the Ancient Silk Road

Shaanxi is the starting point of the ancient Silk Road, as well as the departure station for Chinese civilization going global. Zhang Qian was twice sent on a diplomatic mission, which pioneered the friendly exchanges between China and western countries. From then on, people of ancient China and other countries endured great hardship in opening up the grand trade route that run through Europe and Asia and extended thousands of miles.

In September 2013, Chinese president Xi Jinping put forward the grand proposal of building the Silk Road Economy together to the international community. Within three years, seven leaders came and visited Shaanxi. Shaanxi also held numerous international events, such as G20 Agriculture Ministers Meeting, Silk Road International Exposition and the Investment and Trade Forum, Euro-Asia Economic Forum, which opened a new chapter of friendly cooperation of people along the Silk Road.

The Silk Road Initiative has brought Shaanxi to the front line of development, which will constantly upgrade the outwardness of its economy. Over 100 world Top-500 enterprises such as Microsoft, Samsung, Siemens, Micron have opened branches in Shaanxi, which will not only bring its brand effect and economic value, but also state of the art technologies and management ideas.

The opening-up of Shaanxi not only can be seen from the abstract figures of import and export, but from the changes of ordinary people's daily lives. For instance, in the foreign harbor, you can have a try with the fine foreign items sold online in real life, the pita bread soaked in mutton soup of the Huimin Street have been sold all over the world, and the first international freight Chang'an is dashing on the golden passages of the ancient Silk Road.

The high-profile events of attracting foreign investment has resulted in a steady "going global". Foreign trade enterprises with international competitiveness, such as Shaanxi Automobile Group, Shaanxi Coal and Chemical Industry Group, Shaanxi Yanchang Petroleum Group, are making fame in the domestic and global markets, making for a bigger market for Shaanxi enterprises overseas.

Splendid History and Culture of Zhou, Qin, Han and Tang Dynasties

"Southern China was home to gifted scholars, Shandong Province to generals, and Shaanxi' loess buried plenty emperors." The words of the folk song reflect the long history of Shaanxi and the magnificent loess culture.

For thousands of years, Zhou, Qin, Han and Tang dynasties had built their kingdoms in Shaanxi. As an important cradle to Chinese civilization, Shaanxi had been the capital of various dynasties. In the vast Guanzhong plain, 79 imperial mausoleums have been found, and the grand mausoleums are referred to as the "Oriental Pyramid".

Kingdom Qin united ancient China, and Han recovered the land of Guan Mountain with brave soldiers. The majestic Terra Cotta Warriors is also known as the eighth wonder of the world. The historic glory still can be seen from the imperial sites like Weiyang Palace ruins of Chang'an City of Han Dynasty, and the Daming Palace of Chang'an of Tang Dynasty.

The culture of Tang and Han is truly splendid. Next to the Terra Cotta Warriors and beside the Huaqing Pool, the well-made historical opera Everlasting Regret, a story adapted from the romantic story between Tang Ming Emperor and his concubine, is performed on the exact spot where it happened thousands of years ago.

World heritages, such as the Great and Small Wild Goose Pagoda, Zhangqian Mausoleum, Xingjiao Temple, grottoes of the Buddhist Temple in Bin County, Famen Temple, stood the witness to the histories of Shaanxi.

The unique historic and cultural charm not only comes from the heritages that have been there through thousands of years, but the legacies of the intangible culture heritage.

"Dust flying over the vast plain of Shaanxi, with the Qinqiang Opera sang by Shaanxi people roaring through it." Shaanxi opera is the signature of Shaanxi. Over thousands of years, it has being prevailing in the Guanzhong area; Shaanxi paper-cutting, mainly distributed in northern Shaanxi plateau, occupies an important position in the national folk art; the famous Yaozhou porcelain, born in the Yaozhou District of Tongchuan City of Shaanxi Province, is a representative of the northern celadon; Baoji face mask, unique for the Shaanxi Han folk, through the inheritance and development of modern folk artists, the Baoji mask has become a treasure ranking among the Han fork arts.

These days, on the new historic starting point, Shaanxi is up for the challenge with inclusiveness.

Fast and Steady Development Ensures Economic Blossom

In 1907, the first oil well in mainland of China was built in Yanchang County of Shaanxi Province. Over a hundred years later, in 2013, Yanchang Petroleum Group had become the first world Top-500 enterprises in western China. Two years later, Shaanxi Coal and Chemical Industry Group joined in, making Shaanxi the only province with two Top-500 enterprises in western China.

With the Silk Road Initiative and a new round of policies of Western Development, Shaanxi is speeding up the economic structure adjustment and industrial optimization to change the condition that the economy is dominated by petroleum and coal companies. To push forward the develop of energy and chemical industry, equipment manufacture, aviation and aerospace, electric information and new materials all together.

It has been reported that ZTE has built a production base with an annual output of 15 million intelligence terminal; Shaanxi Automobile Group has been exporting heavy trucks to over 80 countries and regions like Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East; Shaanxi Fast Auto Drive Group has become the biggest Chinese production base for heavy truck speed changer and import base for gear; the new generation of self-built military jet,Yun-20, has been assembled in Yanliang County; Xinzhou-60, produced and built by Xi'an Aircraft Industry Group, over 100 of the aircrafts have been delivered; produced by Xi'an Aerospace Propulsion Institute, the engine for liquid rocket has been used for the Long-march series of rockets.

With the rapid development of industry, industries of tourism, fruit, husbandry, tea, vegetables and culture also blossom.

The total output of Shaanxi's apple production accounts for one eighth of the world, and that of apple juice for one third; Shaanxi is also home to the largest Kiwi fruit production base, and the production ranks first in China and accounts for one third of the world; Shaanxi also has various famous team brands, such as Fu Tea, Hanzhong Xianhao Tea and Ankang White Tea. In Yangling, city of agricultural science in China, the international level China Yangling Agricultural Hi-tech Fair has been held successively for 22 years. With the latest agricultural and scientific research and patent information on display, it is known as the " Chinese agricultural Olympic Games".

During the "Twelfth Five-year", Shaanxi achieved fast growth, and achieved the turn from a less-developed province to a medium-developed one, with its per capita GDP reaching the level of a median income country.

Good Governance Bringing People Happiness and Benefits

In 2016, its amount of pension rose by 12 times; the relocation program lifted 1740,000 people out of poverty; the "One-Card" system covers all of the social security; the reform experience of classification was praised as the Shaanxi sample; international events like Tour of China International Road Cycling Race were held in Shaanxi successively; and Shaanxi has always been using 80% of the newly increased finance and fiscal spending on people's livelihood.

Shaanxi's policies to promote people's livelihood were far more than what has been described. For the livelihood of Shaanxi people, Shaanxi is in the lead position of a series of national activities. People's livelihood has become the real concern of the harmonious development of Shaanxi's economy and society, and it will spur Shaanxi's development the other way around.

Getting street children home, building pension institutions and communities, and working on the livelihood of people that live a hard life, the elderly, minors and physically challenged people...

Livelihood is not only about icing on the cake for those to have a better life, but also about helping those who are in need. In recent years, the social assistance system of Shaanxi Province is improving, with funds pouring in and people's livelihood improving all-around.

Meanwhile, Shaanxi has been promoting employment, the construction of affordable housing, relocation project for poverty alleviation, the coverage of urban and rural social security system, educational investment, medical and health service capacity, social management, the transformation of government function, etc., in order to adjust the social contradictions and the interest relation, perfect the social legal system and justice of law, improve people's livelihood and build Shaanxi into a beautiful and harmonious province.

These days, people of Shaanxi Province live in peace and contentment with the convenient transportation and the good governance.

Beautiful Natural Scenery

On the map of China, Shaanxi looked like a key. With the ecological civilization in mind, green development and green way of life is creeping into people's lives.

In Tongguan County, the last place in Shaanxi that the Wei River runs through, tall towers are reflected on the broad river, with dozens of fishing vessels operating, which looks rather spectacular in the north town. The Weihe River has become clear and beautiful again. Shrewd villagers launch business by building farmhouses and making home dishes to entertain the tourists. The residents' income is on the rise year by year, and it's a win-win for the ecology and economy along the Weihe River Valley.

The green hills are picturesque and the clear water adds the last touch. To ensure the clear river water for Beijing's water supply, the three cities in the southern Shaanxi, in the middle route of South-to-North Water Diversion Project, have established the tone for the circular green development. Shutting down polluting factories, exploring circular development patterns of turning resources advantages into economic development advantages, which interprets the ecological development idea of preserving the beautiful landscape while achieving economic development.

The loess is not bare any more, and the sky is crystal clear. As an important national production base of coal, petroleum and gas, driven by new technologies, energy and chemical industries of northern Shaanxi are going through an industrial upgrade. The coal products can be recycled on the spot, and the industry is upgrading from the low-end to the high-end by extending and integrating the industrial chains, which has formed the circular economic development shape and realized the organic unity of economy, society and environmental benefits.

For those live or travel far way, the image of home landscape is a constant reminder of home. These days, from the mountainous areas of Qinling and Bashan to the Guanzhong hinterland, from Yan'an to Yulin the Camel City, Qinling is prosperous with green everywhere, Weihe River is picturesque, and the Loess Plateau is covered in green shrubs with birds sing and flowers blossoming. The beautiful landscape is the most poetic gift for people in Shaanxi.

Joyful Fruits of Research and Study

916 scientific research institutions, 220,5000 scientific research personnel, approximately 100 colleges and universities, an outstanding edge of military technologies and so on. As a province with advanced technologies and rich resources, as early as becoming the third national pilot of innovative province, Shaanxi had made the overall plan of innovative development, and an "innovative map" that integrates local resources and development is rolling out in Shaanxi.

Technology facilitates the innovative dreams, and the technology innovation is flourishing throughout Shaanxi. As words of "copy and promote the pattern of Xi'an Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics and Northwest Institute for Non-ferrous Metal Research" were written into the government work report, various institutes, universities and enterprises participated in the promotion activity, to promote further development of study and research and the commercialization of scientific findings. It has been fruitful. Xi'an Jiaotong University has made the hand function rehabilitation and training robot, and the Northwestern Polytechnic University developed the first 12 U cubic star which was successfully launched by the Long March Seven.

The rising of an emerging industry also reflects the local innovative capacity. Shaanxi has organized over 20 innovative and strategic associations for fields like 3D printing, big data and cloud computing, and robot, in order to gain more competitive edge. The first 3 D printing titanium alloy sternum replacement surgery was operated in Weinan Hi-tech Zone of Shaanxi; China Unicom Xi'an Data Center-- the largest and the most compete industrial base and data processing center with the highest technical level in the northwest China; the three kinds of founding companies, founded by enterprises, institute and universities, are pushing forward the economic development and innovative potential.

Shaanxi is a place that still well preserves the ancient and colorful culture. While seeking constant progress, prosperous flourishes. Thousands of years later, the ancient Shaanxi has taken a new look, and faced with challenges, it is ready to taken off again.