General Info/Questions about cities!

[Raoul Duke]

Millana asked,

Thanks Rauol,

I have a question, I have been seeing the term industrial zone quite a bit. I was assuming it meant a zone filled with industries and that it would be concrete, in nature. Is this how it is. If something says it's an industrial zone, I generally pass over it because of this thinking. Also could you tell me what a zone and a district means. Do they mean a bunch of cities within an area? Why are some called zones and some called districts? Is there a difference.

Don't be misled by the names. Suzhou's Industrial Park is quite lovely in many places- premium housing, a lovely lake, nice parks, and so on. I live in the SIP myself and it's great. Look before you leap, though...some of them could indeed be the grim place you picture.

A district is an administrative subdivision of a city...a political entity. A zone is an area of land- often within one or more districts but can take in a whole town- that has been set aside for a particular purpose.

These "Special Industrial" thingies are intended to help attract industries to a city. If you build a factory inside it, you get some sort of tax break or other incentive. Some, like Suzhou's, are booming. Others are basically undisturbed pastures. They hark back to the early days of the opening of China...cities such as Shenzhen, Shanghai, Dalian, etc. were designated as Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and received the first waves of foreign development and investment. Since then the idea has spread across the country.

By the way, in China the term "city" takes on a new meaning. A "city" typically consists of a larger city center, suburbs and satellite towns, outlying villages, and often huge swaths of countryside. ALL of China falls within the administration of one "city" or another.

[Jollyjunklass]

Another general, duh, question. What is with this City proper or Suzhou proper Does proper mean anything here?

[Raoul Duke]

"City Proper" means the actual city part- tall buildings, traffic jams, McDonald's outlets, etc.- as opposed to the suburbs, or in China, the administrative district translated into English as "City".

[Nate M]

You should also clarify that, (although perhaps not in Suzhou), "suburbs" doesn't usually refer to oversized houses with big giant SUVs that moms use to take their kids to soccer practice. I've found it much more common for "suburbs" to refer to shantytowns, farm fields, and fish ponds surrounding a big city for up to an hour or two in any direction.

[Raoul Duke]

Exactly. Thanks. "Suburbs" and other areas "within a city" are often characterized by farm ponds, rice paddy, and the sounds of livestock. The "City Proper" is the real city part- buildings, indoor plumbing, etc.