The Only Third-Tier Provincial Capital in Hebei That's GDP First, or a Leading Tourist City
When you think of Hebei, what comes to your mind? People who don't know much about Hebei might first think of Tangshan, because the 1976 Tangshan Earthquake is deeply engraved in the hearts of the Chinese people. Let's pay a three-minute moment of silence. Today, I'm talking about Tangshan, a third-tier provincial capital in Hebei. I've been to Tangshan a few times before, and I still have a good impression of it. It's developing very quickly and has already surpassed the provincial capital, Shijiazhuang.
Tangshan is a county-level city in Hebei Province, located in the east of Hebei and Northeast of the North China Plain, with the Bohai Sea to the south, the Yan Mountains to the north, and bordering Beijing and Tianjin. It is a key location at the intersection of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei and Northeast channels, and a northeastern sub-center city of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban agglomeration as the center city of the Jingjin Industrial Base.
Tangshan got its name because Tang Emperor Li Shimin stationed here during his eastward campaign against the Goguryeo. Tang Emperor Li Shimin led his army to conquer the Korean Peninsula, and during the return journey, he passed through Tangshan. His favorite concubine, Cao, unfortunately passed away, so Li Shimin honored her by giving the mountain the surname of Tang. Thus, Tangshan was named Tangshan. Nowadays, Tangshan is developing rapidly. The total population is approximately 78 million, but it's still considered a third-tier provincial capital city. Its economy has now surpassed the provincial capital, Shijiazhuang.
Tangshan is known for its strong industrial base and was once known as 'The Porcelain Capital of North China'. Thanks to its strong industry, Tangshan has developed rapidly in recent years. In 2017, Tangshan's GDP exceeded 700 billion, the highest in the province, surpassing the provincial capital, Shijiazhuang. And in 2016, Tangshan's GDP was also the highest in the province. Moreover, Tangshan's per capita GDP is far greater than that of Shijiazhuang.
Besides being an industrial powerhouse, Tangshan is also a famous tourist city with abundant tourism resources and numerous historical sites. The main attractions include South Lake Park, Kaiyuan Mining Park, and Qingdongling. Nowadays, Tangshan is developing rapidly, and it's believed that it will one day be among the top-tier cities.
This is South Lake Park, a national 4A scenic area located in the southern part of the city center, one of Tangshan's four main functional areas, the South Lake Ecological City core area, and Tangshan's most important ecological central park. Tangshan is getting better and more beautiful. Would you like to come to Tangshan for a visit? Please leave a comment, share, and like to let me know.
