horse racing may return to wuhan

Mainland China authorities are reportedly paving the way for the reintroduction of horse racing with legal betting, with the city of Wuhan to host a test run after the Beijing Olympics.
 
Xinhua news agency reported Thursday that the central government had approved the establishment of regular horse racing at the Orient Lucky City racecourse in the capital of Hubei province this past September, and was considering the introduction of gambling on the races next year.

Thursday’s Changjiang Times quoted Wuhan party secretary Miao Wei as saying State Sports General Administration (SSGA) had permitted the issuing of a “horse racing lottery” in Wuhan in September. However, a senior manager with the Orient Lucky Horse Group Corporation told Xinhua betting on the races would probably not be introduced on a trial basis until next year.

“Initially, about 250 horses from different jockey clubs around the country will participate in the races,” the manager said. However, a China Sports Lottery Administration Centre spokeswoman was less clear, telling Xinhua: “The proposal of betting on horse racing is being reviewed and discussed, but there is no concrete information on when or whether it will begin.”

The newspaper quoted Qin Zunwen, head of the Chinese Horse Racing Intelligence Competition Research Group – an SSG Authorized taskforce based in Wuhan – saying “it is going to be different from that in Hong Kong.”

The group’s mission is to produce a betting format fit for the mainland betting consumer, which must currently do all betting through illegal bookmakers. Sports Lotteries, in which the player must try to guess the winners of a large number of events for one big prize, are currently the only legal form of gambling in China.

Betting in Hong Kong on horse racing and soccer, and in Macau for casino gambling horse and greyhound racing, is allowed as these are Special Administrative Regions (SAR) that have grown up independently under separate rule before returning to China late last century.

The word “lottery” and the phrase “intelligence competition” were used to neatly sidestep the Communist Party’s long-standing prohibition of gambling on moral grounds.

The reintroduction of race betting would “boost state revenue, create new jobs, entertain the public, and crack down on illegal gambling,” said Qin, who spoke to the newspaper about the benefits of lifting the ban. It has been estimated that about 600 billion yuan (US$82.5 million) leaves the mainland each year for gambling in offshore casinos and racecourses.

Qin’s research group estimated annual revenue of 100 billion yuan ($US13.8 billion) from the horse lottery, 40 per cent of which would go to state coffers. One staggering estimate published was the projected creation of 3 million jobs if betting were allowed nationwide.

Horse racing thrived in China until the communists took power in 1949 and was especially popular in wealthy cities such as Shanghai. Wuhan, a city of more than 8 million people built around the Yangtze River, had three large racing tracks in those days, boasting a reputation as “the Capital of Horse Racing.” The present track on the edge of the city is located in a 1 million square meter lakeside complex, which also houses equestrian clubs, the Chinese Academy of Horse Racing, and an exhibition centre. There are plans for a five-star hotel and a number of residential towers around the course.

The city has sponsored an annual international horse racing festival since 2003 and has been the frontrunner to reintroduce horse-race betting since it was last banned in 1999 following seven years of trials.

There was a promising racing industry growing in Beijing, funded by businessman Chung Yun Pun and managed by Irishman Kevin Connolly, which was unceremoniously shut down by authorities two years ago. Cheng, whose Domeland stable has raced many horses in Australia, including 1998 Cox Plate runner-up Northern Drake, had ploughed an estimated US$200million into the venture, which included a stud farm adjacent to a huge turf course outside Beijing.

Wuhan started to study the feasibility of introducing betting on horse racing in 2005 and had submitted several reports to the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Xinhua reported. A survey conducted by the Hubei Academy of Social Sciences revealed that 83.3 per cent of Wuhan residents believed the introduction of betting would have a positive social impact, and 51 per cent said they were “interested” or “very interested” in gambling on the races.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club was cautiously optimistic over the move last night, with chief executive Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges describing it as “a positive development, if the report proves to be correct.”

He did say, however, that HKJC had given the Wuhan Jockey Club the rights to duplicate the HKJC’s book of rules to give the new racing industry a proper legal and policy framework. Engelbrecht-Bresges also said the Jockey Club would consider helping the WJC and the central government set up racing, if it were asked, provided the club was convinced there was a commitment to creating something of real quality and value.

Engelbrecht-Bresges said the Hong Kong Jockey Club had an internationally recognized brand name that had to be protected, and that any potential association with racing on the mainland would have to be on the basis that the project would be of “the highest standard.”

wuhan to spend on metro system

Wuhan, capital of central China’s Hubei province, plans to spend total 300 billion yuan (40 billion US dollars) on its metro system, according to the city’s Rail Transit Plan.The plan says the metro length will extend to 530 km from the present 220 km, and from seven to 12 lines with 309 stations by 2015.

Li Xiaohua, a city government official, said 66 percent of the city’s 8.7 million people could find a metro station within 600 meters. “By metro, a person at any part of Wuhan can reach the city center within 30 minutes,” said Li.

 Wuhan, known as “a thoroughfare to nine provinces”, has been faced with escalating threats of traffic jams and noise, which the city government is seeking to resolve with the metro expansion.

The new plan gives the cost per kilometer of metro line at about 500 million yuan (66.7 million US dollars). Three metro lines are already under construction.

it is also reported that the hongkong metro corporation will invest in this project, trying to get profit by leveraging its experience in operating the hong kong metro, which is the only one profitable metro company in the world.

foreign concessions in Wuhan

for a long time i have been thinking on writing about the foreign concessions of Wuhan. in the nationalists’ eyes, these concessions along with the old buildings and the passed history are considered to be a shame for the city and the country. it is true, but in the perspective of cultural exchange and economical development, the foreign concessions did certain contribution to the development of wuhan’s economy during their existence. at that time, the city of wuhan is called “oriental Chicago”. i can imagine the prosperity of commerce at that time.

here i found some information telling the story of foreign concessions in Wuhan,and i post it here to share with my reader.

In 1895 Germany established a concession at Hankow, one of the three cities making up modern day Wuhan. The concession was enlarged in 1898. The total area was something less than 100 acres.

Like most foreign residential areas there was an advisory municipal council with limited powers. Actual administration of the concession was under the control of the resident German Consul-General.

The German Concession prospered until August 1917. In August 1917, China declared war on Germany and terminated the concession. Under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles Germany renounced all of its overseas possessions including the concession at Hankow. The former German Concession was administered by the Chinese government as the First Special Area.

the street scene during that time

Other Foreign Residential Areas:

The British established a concession in 1861. The French and Russians formed their concessions in 1886. Japan arrived in 1898. All five consessions prospered as Hankow became one of the industrial centers of modernizing China.

Termination of the Concessions:

In 1920 The Russian Concession was returned to Chinese administration. It became the Second Special Area. Both the special areas were administered by the local foreign affairs officials apart from the larger Chinese municipal government.

On January 3, 1927 the British Concession was assaulted by Chinese mobs. The concession police were overwhelmed and requested assistance from the foreign naval forces. British and American naval landing parties were put ashore and repulsed the mobs. That evening the London government ordered the naval forces back on their ships and for the concession police to refrain from interferring with Chinese entering the concession. The following day Chinese quietly entered the concession with little trouble. The Chen-O’Malley Agreementt that followed agreed on the British surrender of both the Hankow and Kuiking concessions followng a two year transition. On January 1, 1929, the British Concession was returned to Chinese administration and became the Third Special Area.

During 1943 the Vichy French government relinquished its concession to the puppet Chinese National government. This act was not recognized by the Free French government-in-exile. France relinquished its concession in 1946. In 1943 the separate administration of the former foreign residential areas was also ended.

The Japanese Concession was surrendered along with the defeat of Japan in 1945.

the map showing the space of foreign concessions

 GENERAL DATA ON HANKOW CONCESSIONS

DATAHOLDER	BRITISH	FRENCH	RUSSIAN	GERMAN	JAPANESE
SIZE (ACRES)	115	60	c. 60	c. 100	32
ESTABLISHED	1861	1886	1886	1895	1898
TERMINATED	1929	1946	1920	1917	1945

It is interesting to note that the total area (c. 367 acres) of the foreign concessions was less than one square mile (1 sq. mile = 640 acres).

Wuhan city circle

Chinese government has approved the proposal jointly launched by the nine cities in the Hubei province, to run an experimental project called when city circle.

The Chinese government has noticed that the central part of china has experienced a slower economical development than that of the coastal regions, which is not good for the country to have a sustainable and balanced development, therefore the central government is considering giving some policy incentive to these regions, and the local governments in the central part, including the hubris province are also making some strategic proposal to boost the economy there. And luckily they got the official support from the central government, and I hope this concept and subsequent construction and project will contribute to the development of wuhan’ economy and enable the city to compete with other second tier cities in china, like Chengdu, Xi’an, and Chongqing. Those cities are the most important cities in the central china with a promising future.

wuhan iron and steel group to mine Madagascar

China’s Wuhan Iron & Steel Group, China’s fifth-largest steel producer, will set up a joint venture to explore iron ore and other resources in Africa’s Madagascar, a company spokesman said on Monday.Wuhan Iron & Steel Group, parent of Wuhan Iron and Steel Co , would take a 60 percent stake in the joint venture, with the remaining 40 percent taken by Hong Kong-based Kam Hing International Holdings Ltd, said Bai Fang.

Bai said he was unaware of the total investment of the joint venture.

Chinese steel mills, in talks with miners on iron ore prices for the fiscal year starting April, have been actively seeking iron ore and other resources outside China to strengthen their raw material supplies.

Price of Wuhan Iron and Steel Co jumped 8 percent on Monday morning to trade at 20.99 yuan ($2.92) apiece. ($1=7.181 Yuan)

Starbucks to open in wuhan

  

according to the latest news, the international well-known coffee shop, Starbucks, will open its first shop in wuhan. the location is in the Chicony Plaza, Wuchang district. the Chicony Plaza is a department store, where several famous brands have its outlet and franchise shop. and there are a lot of office building in the surrounding area, where many office workers work there. the plaza is also near several universities, like Wuhan University, central china normal university, where many college students are fond of the wetern style.

    the Starbucks shop in Wuhan has two floors. in the first floor is with a bar tender and special designed colorful lights. and the second floor are placed with wooden tables and chairs.

   till now Starbucks has 539 shops in china, covering 26 cities across china. since there is a rise in the number of office worker in Wuhan, Starbucks think it is a proper time to open a shop in Wuhan.

wuhan attract one third of french investment in China

Wuhan has attracted over one third of French investment in China and more than two thirds of European countries’ investment in Hubei. An official with the municipal government said more than 30 Sino-French joint ventures with some 2.2 billion USD total investment had been founded in Wuhan. Among them, the DongFeng Peugeot Citroen Automobile, a joint venture created by PSA and Dong Feng, is the largest project funded by France and runs ahead on a fast track after more than 10 years’ development.

The establishment of the French Consulate in Wuhan in October, 1998 has given strong impetus to the exchanges and cooperation between France and Wuhan. French companies in Wuhan development park have been busy expanding their business here since the beginning of this year. Faurecia, the leading French auto parts supplier will build its third plant in the park. Sacred Rubber is working on its extension project. And the French engine producer Eletricfil announced that it would add 1 million euro to and double the capacity of its Wuhan arms.

The Wuhan development park has accommodated 16 French-funded companies which are growing and booming. What’s more, the proposed Wuhan-France industrial park will be home to more French enterprises to build a complete industrial chain for auto parts supply.

The trade and economic ties between Wuhan and France, as a matter of fact, have gone beyond the auto parts sector and diversified into financial service, chain stores, hi-tech and oil products.  for example, in the retailing sector, there has been three Carrefour supermarket in Wuhan.

A Rap in Wuhan Dialect

here i found a video showing a stylish girl made a rap performance. the lyrics was written wuhan dialect, and it is very funny to wuhanese, and to chinese people as well, but they have to understand it first. the singer’s name is Duan shishi, a native wuhan girl.

the title “信了你的邪” is a very common phrase used by wuhan people to describe their surprise. when you are feel surprised by someone who did very freak or disgusting things, you can use this phrase. it read as “xin liao ni de xie”.

ok, now let’s watch the video.maybe i have time , i will try to make a translation of the lyrics.

Wuhan ’s 15 industry chains

The news from Wuhan Industrial Economy Conference yesterday said that by the year 2011, the revenue of 15 industry chains including steel and processing, auto and components, consumer electronics, bridge, petroleum and chemistry, telecommunication, semiconductor, engineering service, transportation facility, tobacco, pharmaceuticals, and printing and packing is expected to reach 700 billion Yuan.

    These industries contained 1455 enterprises with annual revenue of over 5 million Yuan. Their revenue reached 304.646 billion Yuan last year, accounting for 86.4% of the total in Wuhan.