Jinchang (金昌)

1. Introduction

Jinchang City is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Gansu Province, People's Republic of China, located in the central part of Gansu Province. The city borders Wuwei City to the east, Zhangye City to the west, and Alxa League of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to the north. Situated at the eastern edge of the Hexi Corridor, it lies south of the Qilian Mountains and north of the Longshou Mountain and the Alxa Plateau. The entire area belongs to the basins of the Xida River and Dongda River. The city covers a total area of 7,549 square kilometers, with a population of 470,500. The municipal government is located in Jinchuan District. Jinchang City is rich in non-ferrous metal mineral resources, with nickel being the primary resource, earning it the nickname "Nickel Capital."

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2. History

During the Yuan Dynasty, the Yongchang Circuit was established, which became Yongchang Guard in the Ming Dynasty and Yongchang County in the Qing Dynasty.

In 1958, a large copper-nickel deposit was discovered at Baijiazui in Yongchang County. In June 1959, the Yongchang Nickel Mine was established, later renamed the Gansu Nonferrous Metals Company. In May 1962, Jinchuan Town was established. In February 1981, Jinchang City was established, directly administered by the province, and Yongchang County, previously under the jurisdiction of the Wuwei Prefecture, was transferred to Jinchang City.

3. Geography

3.1 Climate

Jinchang features a continental temperate arid climate. It enjoys abundant sunlight, with prevailing northwesterly winds throughout the year. There are significant temperature variations between day and night as well as across the four seasons. The frost period is long, and strong winds are common in spring.

4. Administrative Divisions

Jinchang City administers 1 district and 1 county.

District: Jinchuan District County: Yongchang County Jinchang Economic and Technological Development Zone is a national-level economic and technological development zone established by Jinchang City.

| Division Code | Division Name | Chinese Pinyin | Area (km²) | Resident Population (2020 Census) | Government Seat | Postal Code | Subdistricts | Towns | Townships | |-------------------|-------------------|--------------------|----------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------|---------------| | 620300 | Jinchang City | Jīnchāng Shì | 7,548.98[10] | 438,026 | Jinchuan District | 737100 | 6 | 11 | 1 | | 620302 | Jinchuan District | Jīnchuān Qū | 3,060.24 | 260,385 | Guangzhou Road Subdistrict | 737100 | 6 | 2 | | | 620321 | Yongchang County | Yǒngchāng Xiàn | 4,488.74 | 177,641 | Chengguan Town | 737200 | | 9 | 1 |

5. Economy

Jinchang City has achieved remarkable progress in economic development in recent years, particularly excelling in the construction of new industrialization and modern industrial systems.

5.1 Economic Growth and Industrial Structure Optimization

Jinchang City's economy has sustained rapid growth. In 2023, its regional Gross Domestic Product (GDP) reached 56.773 billion yuan, marking an 11.5% year-on-year increase. In the first half of 2024, the city's regional GDP amounted to 35.196 billion yuan, growing by 19.5% year-on-year, which was the highest growth rate in the province. By the first three quarters, Jinchang's economic output exceeded 50 billion yuan, reaching 50.479 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 21.92%. These figures indicate that Jinchang's economy is operating steadily and improving, with significant enhancements in both economic scale and quality.

5.2 Industrial Transformation, Upgrading, and Cluster Development

Adhering to the strategic direction of strengthening the city through industry and revitalizing it through industrial development, Jinchang City focuses on promoting the high-end, intelligent, and green transformation of traditional industries. By implementing the "2+4" modern industrial cluster strategy, Jinchang has accelerated the extension, supplementation, strengthening, and expansion of its industrial chains. This has fostered industrial clusters centered on nickel-copper-cobalt new materials, new energy batteries, and the digital economy. In 2023, the output value of the "2+4" industrial clusters reached 140.29 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 28.95%.

5.3 Technological Innovation and Green Development

Jinchang City has intensified efforts in technological innovation, promoting deep integration of industry, academia, and research, and facilitating the transfer and commercialization of scientific and technological achievements. Concurrently, the city vigorously develops green and circular industries, improves the ecological environment, and enjoys a high number of days with good air quality, along with excellent surface and groundwater quality. The new energy industry is developing rapidly, with significant increases in installed wind and photovoltaic power capacity, establishing Jinchang as a key new energy base in the Hexi Corridor.

5.4 Investment Attraction and Business Environment Optimization

By optimizing the business environment and investment attraction policies, Jinchang City has attracted substantial investments from both within and outside the province. In 2023, the city implemented 163 investment attraction projects, securing 25.053 billion yuan in funds from outside the province, a year-on-year increase of 51.14%. Furthermore, Jinchang actively explores and implements the model of "Credit Commitment System + Standard Land + Assistance and Agency Services + Credit-Easy Loan" to enhance the quality and efficiency of financial services.

5.5 Integrated Urban-Rural Development and Improvement of People's Livelihood

Jinchang City emphasizes integrated urban-rural development, advancing the construction of urban-rural integration. In terms of people's livelihood, public services such as employment, education, and healthcare have been further improved. The income of both urban and rural residents has grown steadily, with the per capita disposable income of urban residents reaching 50,082 yuan and that of rural residents reaching 21,258 yuan.

5.6 Future Development Plans

According to Jinchang City's planning objectives, by 2025, the output value of the "2+4" modern industrial clusters is expected to exceed 250 billion yuan; by 2027, it is projected to reach around 300 billion yuan. Additionally, Jinchang City plans to basically achieve new industrialization by 2035, constructing a modern industrial system that is systematic, complete, advanced, secure, and highly competitive.

Through efforts in industrial transformation and upgrading, technological innovation, green development, investment attraction, and urban-rural integration, Jinchang City has achieved high-quality economic development and laid a solid foundation for its future growth.

6. Transportation

Jinchang Railway Station is located in Hexi Fort Town, Yongchang County, along the Lanzhou–Xinjiang Railway. It is 377 kilometers from Lanzhou Railway Station and 1,515 kilometers from Ürümqi Railway Station.

Jinchang Jinchuan Airport commenced operations on August 29, 2011.

7. Education

In recent years, Jinchang City has achieved remarkable accomplishments in the field of education, promoting the high-quality development of educational endeavors.

7.1 Prioritizing Educational Development

The Jinchang Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government attach great importance to educational work, positioning it as a strategic priority for development. By implementing the "Five-Good Project" for high-quality educational development—encompassing "good education, good schools, good principals, good teachers, and good students"—the city has continuously improved school conditions, enhanced educational quality, and promoted equity in education.

7.2 Preschool Education

Jinchang City vigorously promotes the development of public-interest and inclusive preschool education. It has introduced the "14th Five-Year Plan" Action Plan for Preschool Education Development and Enhancement, improving a public service system for preschool education that is wide-ranging, ensures basic needs, and maintains quality. Furthermore, five new public kindergartens have been added, providing 1,800 inclusive kindergarten spots, effectively alleviating the issues of "difficulty in enrolling in public kindergartens and high costs of private kindergartens."

7.3 Compulsory Education

Jinchang City is committed to improving school conditions during the compulsory education stage. It has added 3,400 high-quality school places, easing the shortage of places in urban areas and ensuring enrollment for children of rural migrant populations. Simultaneously, conditions in rural schools have been improved, achieving the goal of integrated urban-rural development.

7.4 High School Education

Jinchang City steadily advances reforms in the new college entrance examination, new curriculum, and new textbooks. It has established provincial-level outstanding high schools and municipal-level high-quality high schools. College entrance examination results have risen year after year, ranking among the top in the province. Additionally, the construction project for the comprehensive teaching building of Jinchuan High School has been launched to enhance the quality of high school education.

7.5 Vocational Education

Jinchang City vigorously develops vocational education, investing 81.53 million yuan to build training bases and training buildings, forming a modern vocational education system. The city currently has one higher vocational college, two secondary vocational schools, and two technical schools. Students in vocational education have achieved excellent results in the college entrance examination.

7.6 Teacher Team Development

Jinchang City focuses on building a high-quality, professional teaching workforce. It has selected and recognized a group of municipal-level master teachers, renowned principals, and special-grade teachers, and has established a multi-level teacher honor system. Furthermore, by innovating the working mechanism for educational talent, efforts to attract and cultivate educational professionals have been intensified.

7.7 Ideological and Political Education

Through the development of "Comprehensive Ideological and Political Courses," Jinchang City deepens the reform and innovation of ideological and political education in the new era, constructing an all-encompassing, whole-process, and comprehensive pattern for ideological and political education. At the same time, it utilizes red resources to carry out research and study activities, guiding students to establish correct values.

7.8 Educational Governance and Safety

Jinchang City has improved the enrollment methods for compulsory education, achieving transparent enrollment and class placement, thereby addressing the issue of "school choice fever." Additionally, it has established a three-in-one prevention and control system with "human defense as the main body, physical defense as the foundation, and technical defense as the means" to ensure campus safety.

7.9 After-School Services

Jinchang City has issued the "Detailed Implementation Rules for the Funding Guarantee Measures for After-School Services in Compulsory Education Schools," promoting after-school services, reducing students' academic burden, and fostering their comprehensive and healthy growth.

7.10 Special Education

Jinchang City's special education schools provide nine-year compulsory education, emphasizing the cultivation of students' self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-reliance. The city also deepens the reform of educational evaluation and implements the "Double Reduction" policy.

Through a series of innovative measures and policy support, Jinchang City has promoted the comprehensive development of educational endeavors, forming an integrated urban-rural, high-quality, and balanced educational landscape. This provides solid talent and intellectual support for the city's modernization efforts.

8. Population

According to the Seventh National Population Census in 2020, the city's resident population was 438,026. Compared with the 464,050 people recorded in the Sixth National Population Census, the population decreased by 26,024 over the past ten years, a decline of 5.61%, with an average annual growth rate of -0.58%. Among them, the male population was 225,306, accounting for 51.44% of the total population; the female population was 212,720, accounting for 48.56% of the total population. The sex ratio (with females as 100) was 105.92. The population aged 0–14 was 61,929, accounting for 14.14% of the total population; the population aged 15–59 was 296,535, accounting for 67.7% of the total population; the population aged 60 and above was 79,562, accounting for 18.16% of the total population, of which the population aged 65 and above was 59,934, accounting for 13.68% of the total population. The urban population was 339,011, accounting for 77.4% of the total population; the rural population was 99,015, accounting for 22.6% of the total population.

8.1 Ethnic Groups

Among the city's resident population, the Han ethnic group population was 429,567, accounting for 98.07%; the population of various ethnic minorities was 8,459, accounting for 1.93%. Compared with the Sixth National Population Census in 2010, the Han ethnic group population decreased by 27,451, a decline of 6.01%, with its proportion in the total population decreasing by 0.42 percentage points; the population of various ethnic minorities increased by 1,427, a growth of 20.29%, with its proportion in the total population increasing by 0.42 percentage points.

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9. Culture

Jinchang City boasts a rich and diverse cultural landscape, encompassing intangible cultural heritage, public cultural services, cultural and tourism integration, folk arts, and more.

Jinchang is home to a wealth of intangible cultural heritage, including Shehuo (community fire celebrations), puppet shows, and Yongchang Nianjuan (storytelling through scrolls). These intangible cultural heritage items not only showcase Jinchang's history and culture but are also passed down through various forms and are deeply cherished by the local community. For example, the "卍" Lantern Custom is a national-level intangible cultural heritage, with grand performances held annually during the Spring Festival, making it a significant cultural symbol of Jinchang.

Jinchang has achieved remarkable results in public cultural services. The city has established a four-tier public cultural service network covering municipal, county, township, and village levels. Cultural facilities such as libraries and museums are open to the public free of charge, and initiatives like "City Study Rooms" and "Reading Stations" have been implemented to enhance the quality of cultural services. Additionally, Jinchang has launched the "Rural Flying Reading" program to ensure that rural residents also have access to rich cultural services.

In terms of cultural and tourism integration, Jinchang promotes the deep integration of culture and tourism by building the brand "China's Nickel Capital · Civilized Jinchang." In recent years, the city has hosted numerous cultural and tourism events, such as the "April 8th" Folk Culture Festival and the Rural Tourism Season, attracting a large number of visitors. At the same time, Jinchang focuses on developing cultural and creative products and tourism commodities, such as desert tea and Yuansheng Aite Sheep Milk, which combine aerospace culture and intangible cultural heritage features, further enhancing the influence of its cultural and tourism brand.

Folk arts in Jinchang are also vibrant. The region is known for various folk songs, operas, music, and dance forms, such as Qinqiang Opera, Meihu Opera, lion dances, and dragon lantern dances, which are widely performed during major festivals and events. Additionally, Jinchang places great emphasis on the development of fine arts and folk crafts, giving rise to many outstanding artists and artisans.

Jinchang's cultural development not only focuses on the integration of tradition and modernity but also enhances residents' cultural fulfillment and happiness through diverse activities and projects. In the future, Jinchang will continue to deepen reforms in the cultural sector, promote the high-quality development of cultural endeavors and industries, and contribute to building a strong socialist culture.

10. Sister Cities

• Chengdu City
• Tongling City
• Wuhu City
• Bora City, Italy
• Shawnee City, Oklahoma, USA

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Jinchuan District

Jinchuan District

Han
Mongol
Hui
Tibetan
Uyghur
Miao
Yi
Zhuang
Bouyei
Korean
Manchu

Sophora japonica

Rose