Hangzhou is one of China's most important cities. It is capital of the Zheijang Province.

What is it about?

This article reviews the development of the hangzhou economy and its manufacturing and services growth and the key companies which are now driving the city- region. Hangzhou is famous for textiles and silk but the city is now known for its information and software services, automotive manufacturing and the growth of the cultural industries. The most famous company is Alibaba and the company developed by Jack Ma over the last thirty years and the story of this company is well told and known in the west. Hangzhou however has many Zheijang merchants who are key advanced manufacturing companies and there are also many State Owned Enterprises (SOE's) which play a key role in the regional economy and which will be important in advancd manufacturing plans to 2025.

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Why is it important?

The article looks and the economic and social development of the city and region and at the policies and programmes which have been promoting the development of the City. Leeds in the United Kingdom has been twinned with Hangzhou for almost thirty years and Leeds Beckett University is twinned with Zhejiang University of Technology and the two universities run a joint Masters in International Trade and Finance which has been very successful since 2004.