Fuzhou: capital of a frontier province.

This book chapter analyzes the urban development of Fuzhou the capital city of Fujian province in the framework of the frontier movement so as to shed light concerning the open policy and Special Economic Zones of China. Examination of the development of Fuzhou and Fujian reveals ample evidences that an open policy is not new at least to the region of southeastern China around Fuzhou. Throughout Chinese history this area represents one of the most open especially in its overseas trade. Fuzhou City exhibits a great continuity of its traditional role and function to serve an administrative center for the development of a frontier province. Reasons for choosing Fuzhou to undertake this special role were explored. In order to develop Fuzhou into one of the 14 open coastal cities four plans for major improvement were developed by the Fujian government. Essentially these plans address the issues of port development the Fuzhou Economic and Technological Development Zone its transport and communication network and the reliability of the energy supply of the city. To conclude the southeastern frontier has been a very active frontier in China since the Ming dynasty apart from episodic acts of war maritime prohibitions and total stoppages of trade. It is perhaps the time for Fuzhous government to recognize that its heyday as a port in Fujian monopolizing the trade of China is long gone. What Fujian could do is to build on its special geographic and socioeconomic advantages in dealing with Taiwan.