Zhuhai

Not Shanghai, not Beijing, not the elusive Shangri-la enclave. It was Zhuhai, a modest-sized, prosperous and laid-back chain of islands just north of Macau. Chinese people, and the UN, recognise Zhuhai for its clean air, casual atmosphere and calm climate. Zhuhai spans 146 islands on the west side of the bay-sized Pearl River delta.

Shifting gears: Zhuhai's racing school attracts people from all over keen to test their skills behind the wheel of a high-performance racing car. China's first internationally recognised racetrack, was built in Zhuhai, in 1996. Picture by Ricky Chung Zhuhai's five districts and one county cover 7,649 square kilometres, but only 1,630 square kilometres are land. Zhuhai is 140 kilometres away from the Guangdong provincial capital, Guangzhou, and about three hours' drive to Shenzhen or Hong Kong. Zhuhai's sub-tropical climate makes it a city of three seasons. Its lowest temperature on record is 2 degrees Celsius.

But laid-back does not mean dormant. Zhuhai is a miniature version of Shenzhen and helped lead China's market economy drive over the past two decades. It just never became as rich or famous as Shenzhen, which borders Hong Kong.

Zhuhai became both a city and one of the mainland's four special economic zones in 1979 as Deng Xiaoping began building a market economy. The city also attracted migrants to work in factories. The Zhuhai population is 1.23 million; of those, about half are temporary residents. Their gruelling work and cramped dormitories tell another story about Zhuhai's wealth.

Trail blazers: Aircraft enthusiasts converge on Zhuhai every second November to see planes from all over the world at Air Show China. Picture by Robert Ng
Zhuhai's business ties to Macau are not as strong as those between Hong Kong and Shenzhen. Macau business people contribute 20 per cent of the city's money from outside the mainland. Sixty per cent comes from Hong Kong.

Meanwhile, Zhuhai has developed a strong IT industry and does brisk shipping and export business. Gree, a Chinese air conditioner maker, is based in Zhuhai; multinationals such as AT&T, Philips, Canon and National also have offices in Zhuhai.

Tourism is no small business, either. Some of the 37 million people who crossed the border between Zhuhai and Macau last year shopped for cheap goods - watches, CDs and VCDs, for example - or took in the city's tranquil days or more lively nights. Nightlife teems along Yingbin Boulevard downtown and Lovers Avenue, which is along the 15-kilometre-long Xianglu Bay front. From this bay one can gaze back at Macau.

Zhuhai's islands attract tourists, too. At the Xianglu Bay is an 8.7-metre high statute of the Zhuhai Fishing Girl, considered to be the city's most famous landmark. Another Zhuhai attraction is the Yuanming garden, a replica of the Qing Dynasty's summer resort in Beijing. European invaders burned down the real resort in Beijing in 1860. The replica in Zhuhai built in 1997 at the west end of Zhuhai's Jiuzhou Avenue.

Two nautical miles east into the sea are the nine Jiuzhou Islands. The main island, which covers a fifth of a square kilometre, features "wonder stones" shaped naturally like people and animals, rare plants and a sandy beach. Dongao Island, close to the west side of the river, gives travellers a venue to watch the sunrise and set. Strips of silver sand surround the otherwise green island.

Aircraft enthusiasts converge on Zhuhai every second November to check out planes from all over the world at Air Show China. Zhuhai started hosting the event in 1996. Motor racing fans may take in the action at China's first internationally recognised racetrack. At Hong Kong movie star Jackie Chan's urging, it was built in Zhuhai, also in 1996.

With a large population of migrants, Zhuhai cuisine is full of spice and variety. Shuyiyuan, a Sichuan-style restaurant, serves a lightly spiced roast duck, Indian restaurants specialise in barbecues and other restaurants serve more down- home Cantonese soups.