Longchuan County, a Place of Charm and History

　　Under the broader umbrella of the initiative to transform the city of Heyuan into a modern and ecologically sustainable city, Longchuan County of Heyuan is seeking high-quality development by building itself into a nationally recognized historical and cultural city with a modern flair and a transport hub in the northeast of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

　　Longchuan County Party Secretary Huang Tiansheng (Photo by Yang Shangchun)

　　Located in the northeast of Guangdong Province and along the upper reaches of Dong River and Han River, Longchuan enjoys a privileged geographical location and convenient transportation. As one of the cradles of Lingnan culture and established during the reign of the first emperor of a unified China - the Qin Dynasty, the region boasts a remarkable history of more than 2,000 years and profound cultural heritage. It is also officially designated as one of the “national key ecological function zones” on account of its excellent ecological environment and abundant cultural resources. Forests cover 74% of Longchuan County’s landscape, which is further accentuated by the leafy and pristine backdrop of the Huo Mountain. Tuocheng, a historical town under its jurisdiction, is home to more than 40 key national, provincial and city-level protected cultural relics, including Yuewang Well, Yuewang Temple, Xuegong (ancient education center), Kaopeng (ancient examination hall), and the Ancestral Memorial Hall. The former site of the Soviet government in Wuxing Long County situated on the border between Fujian, Guangdong and Guizhou provinces has been selected as one of the foremost must-visit former Communist revolutionary bases under the “Red Tourism” project. In the meantime, a memorial park in commemoration of the Red Army that stayed to fight in the Central Soviet Area is planned for construction.

　　A stone in the shape of a wine jar at Huo Mountain Scenic Area (Photo by Yang Shangchun)

　　In recent years, Longchuan County has committed itself to pursuing high-quality development with a decided priority toward environmental protection as it accelerates efforts to transform into a leader in culture, environmental preservation, transportation and economic development among its peers in the province. In 2017, the county's GDP reached 14.37 billion yuan, registering a year-on-year increase of 6.5%. With 79 tenant companies, Shenzhen Baoan (Longchuan) Industrial Transfer Industrial Park is the only general-business park in Guangdong Province that has been awarded honors for outstanding performance for six consecutive years. In 2017, gross output value of industries above designated size reached 4.81 billion yuan.

　　Kaopeng (ancient examination hall) (Photo by Yang Shangchun)

　　According to Huang Tiansheng, Secretary of the Longchuan County Party Committee, the county government is fully committed to transforming Longchuan into a nationally recognized historical and cultural city with a modern flair and a transport hub in the northeast of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. With ecologically sustainable development as the guiding principle, the county is pulling out all the stops to construct the "six major systems" and promote high-quality development. Aiming beyond its own scope, the county also seeks to play a leading role in helping develop Heyuan City into a demonstration area for the green development in the province and integrating into Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.（Kevin）