The Protection and Upgrading of the Ancient City of Suzhou

Suzhou is one of China's most famous ancient cities. It is a city steeped in history with a rich ancient culture and is famous for its scenic spots, water canals, and its traditional Chinese rock and water gardens. With 35 km of waterways and rivers criss-crossing the city, it is often referred to as the "Venice of the East". Bordering Shanghai on the east, Wuxi City on the west, Zhejiang Province to the south and the Yangtze River to the north, Suzhou covers 1,730 square kilometers, with the inner city covering 14.2 square kilometers and a metropolitan area of 102 square kilometers with an inner city population of 1.11 million. In the year 2000, the city's GDP reached RMB 145.1 billion (US$17.6 billion) or just over RMB 26,400 (US$3200) per capita.