Located in the Yangtze River Delta and on the southwest reaches of Shanghai, Hángzhou enjoys a moderate climate with four distinct seasons.
Summers are typically hot and humid while winters are cool, dry and
bearable, making it a favourable destination all year round.
But aside from being a tourist destination, Hángzhou's districts are fuelled up to attain economic success; Xiaoshan district serves as the
transportation and distributing hub of the province. With more than
12,000 industrial zones for light textile, dyeing and garments, it ranks
7th among China's Best 100 Counties and first in terms of economic
growth. The total population is at 12,385, 000 and the city has an
employment rate of 70%, another factor which attracts expats to relocate
to Hangzhou.
Yuhang district, dubbed as "the land flowing with milk and honey, the place of flower and fruits, the source of silk and tea and the state
of cultural relics," takes pride in the success of their major
industries such as the service industry, construction industry and
agriculture industry.
The district of Shangcheng is the pillar industries that comprise of food and beverage, home appliances and machinery and electronics while
Xiacheng district attracts businesses in culture, scientific research,
journalism and finance.
For the district of Gongshu, manufacturing, metallurgy, electronics and other industries are at full throttle while adhering to
environmental protection policies. Aside from being home to the renowned
West Lake, Xihu district boasts of its metropolitan agricultural
development and ecology-friendliness.
Other significant district include Fuyang's for paper-manufacturing, light textile, biochemistry and telecommunication equipment, Lin'an as
the hometown of Chinese Folk Calligraphy and Painting Art, Tonglu for
its manufacturing bases of ballpoint pens and exporting base of bee
products, Jiande as a paradise for tourists and businessmen and Chun'an,
which currently focuses on water industry and sets priority to develop
further the high-tech industry.
Just like anywhere in China, the haggle-friendly day shops and even cheaper night markets will make you rethink about bringing your entire
closet. To bring an empty luggage and fill it up in Hángzhou sounds like
a good plan. However, the Chinese are in smaller frame and this means
most items may be too small by Western standards. Make sure to bring
your favourite pieces or have new ones tailored to local stores.
This also applies for first aid kit and medicines; the ones sold in Hángzhou are in written in Chinese characters. Expats should take up a
few lessons of Mandarin, this is a good start to learn the ropes and
make new friends. A recent study shows that Hángzhou is China's second
happiest city, next to Chengdu in Hebei, and with friendly residents,
along with the beautiful sceneries and employment opportunities, you
know you've come to the right place.
