Kunming

Encompassing 21,688 square kilometres, and with a population of 4.73 million, Kunming, a famous historical and cultural city, is also a beautiful tourists'destination. Neither cold nor hot, the city where people can enjoy flowers throughout the whole year is like spriug all the time. It is therefore known as "Spring City" because every season is like spring. The city has appeared on the worldwide map because of its international horticulture exposition in 1999.

A classic museum piece is the unearthed relics of Yuanmou Man, from some 1.7 million years ago. The finding indicates that Chinese people might have originated in Yunnan.

Kunming has plans to become a centre of tourism, finance, horticulture and a communications hub linking China and Southeeat Asia. Cities should bring together a combination of capital, talent, technology and information. The most important function of a city is to provide an environment conducive to habitation, transportation, services and transmission of information. Kunming has 10 city-improvement projects in the works, including a water- supply project at the Zhangjiu River, the project to clean up the Dianchi Lake, the construction of Caohai Ecological Garden and a clean up of the upper reaches of the Jinsha and Zhujiang rivers. All this is aimed at making Kunming cleaner and beautiful. Now that emphasis is being put on the development of Western China, Kunming has been chosen as one of the four trial cities to improve transportation and environmental conditions.