Zhangzhou shedding village image

ZHANGZHOU, better known for its agricultural industry, is shedding its ''flower and fruit village'' reputation to lure investors into its budding property market, according to Huaxing Real Estate Development.

Several major infrastructural works initiated and funded by its local government have began to attract more commercial investments into the city, especially from Taiwan and Japan.

Tsoi Tung-yeung, the director and general manager of the Zhangzhou-based Huaxing Real Estate Development, said the building of the new shipping port in Kangmei was already in progress.

''The size of the port is 20 times bigger than the one in Zhuhai, which is approximately 18 acres. The investors for this multi-million-dollar project include the China Merchants' Group and the Bank of China,'' he said.

Situated south of the Fujian province in southeast China, Zhangzhou has a population of more than 31/2 million and belonged to the Minnan Delta Development District.

Being geographically close to Taiwan, Zhangzhou has set up an agricultural co-operation experiment zone for Taiwan investors. Zhangzhou city governs nine towns and a district.

Mr Tsoi said that Zhangzhou had great potential to attract local and overseas investments as the city already possessed a sound transportation network.