TNAG-1630-FCO40-2246-Visits-by-Hong-Kong-Government-officials-to-China--the-UK-an-1987 — Page 72

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5.2 Dongguan City

5.2.1 The Mayor of the City, Mr. Zheng Jintao, introduced the

city as the following:

5.2.2

Longguan City has a total population of about 1.23

million people as at

at the end of 1986. The total area is

3460 sq.km of

of which 1.2m mu. is agricultural land. Dongguan is classified as a 'city' by the State Council

in September 1985. Having good natural resources and

favourable weather, the economic development of the city

and its 32 townships has been performing very well after

the implementation of open economy policy. Improvement

of the road network has been identified as a major task

to promote modernisation. At present, there are 60

bridges, 1480 ku of roads of which 800 km are concrete

and 200 km are asphalt. The completion of 2 bridges,

Warjiang Bridge and Zhongtang Eridge, has shortened

considerably the time distance with Guangzhou as ferry

crossing is no longer required.

As regards electricity consumption, the annual rate is

2.2m KWh of which 0.7 : KWh are supplied by the State,

0.7m KWh by the Humor Power Plant ( 虎門 ) and the remaining by the Shajiao Plant "A" where the City has

invested 0.5m RMB Yuan.

5.2.3 The City has placed much emphasis on education and

training of personnel

in

various fields in order to

prepare for further development of the city. Though

there is no university in Dongguan, the City has made

arrangements with universities in Guangzhou to set up

aistant learning centres in the city. By such

arrangements, the City provides venues and equipments

while the universities provide teaching staff who give

lectures in the City regularly. Besides, self study