Answer to One China Travel Question
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Q: What is population, main industry and tours available in Shantou? I am a police officer in Queensland Australia and would like to learn more about Shantou police.
| | A: Located on the coast of South China, Shantou forms the northeastern corner of Guangdong Province. There are actually two Shantou cities, with the smaller as part of the larger one, which reflects on the governmental structure of China today. The larger Shantou city is not a city per se but a prefectural-level administrative region under Guangdong Province; the area is consisted of six districts and one county (an island). This region is approximately 2,000 square kilometers in area, with a population of close to 5 million. The metropolitan area of Shantou is the urban core of this region.
People of Shantou have a long tradition of overseas adventures. Many Chinese who live in Southeast Asia and other parts of the world today originated here. This means strong economic ties and this is a strong element in the local economy. One of the richest men in Hong Kong, Li Ka Shing, is from here. The main university in the area, Shantou University, is funded by him.
Economically Shantou is know for light industries such as electronics, textile, clothing.
In terms of tourist attractions, Shantou of course cannot be compared to major destinations such as Shanghai and Beijing. Given its location on the coast, there are some scenic areas and nice resort-kind of spots. Traditional culture - old buildings, etc. - may be of interest too. There is a temple for Matsu, or "Old Mother," which is widely worshiped in the region, and also a temple for Guan Gong, who was a war-hero-turned god of justice and guardian against demons.
The official web site of Shantou City has some info in English. Go here: http://www.shantou.gov.cn/en/main.asp
And here is a map showing main sight-seeing attractions in Shantou (it is in Chinese, however): http://www.ydtz.com/news/shownews.asp?id=17222
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