| Dalian sits at the tip of the Liaodong peninsula, and
is home to over one million people, making it a small city in a country of
over one billion people. Because it sits right on the sea, the city is free
from the heavy pollution facing other Chinese cities. But its advantageous
geographical position has led to its occupation over the years by a host of
foreign invaders. Russia set up a trading center here, before losing it to
Japan in their war in 1905. Over the years, Western Europeans came to trade
in Dalian, and their influence, combined with that of the Russians,
Japanese, and Chinese, continues to set Dalian apart from most other Chinese
cities.
Foreign companies continue to be drawn to Dalian because of a favorable
tax status here that encourages local investment. Dalian's longtime mayor,
Bo Xilai, is something of a hero around these parts, and you will hear the
locals of Dalian speak in positively glowing terms about his leadership.
In the summer, Dalian transforms into a resort town, with Chinese
families from the inland making the trek out to the beaches on the outskirts
of the city. The twenty mile stretch of beach here is among the finest in
all of China. Dalian is also home to an annual International Fashion
Festival, along with a Spring Festival to ring in the Chinese New Year. |
