Despite the economic gloom worldwide, prosperity continues to light the way in southern China’s Pearl River Delta, where Guangzhou more than holds its own. In fact, since hosting the 16th Asian Games two years ago, Guangzhou (long known in the West as Canton) enjoyed a resurgence. Its commercial, financial and retail sectors are expanding, and the “world’s workshop” still works. New developments along the Pearl River are bringing Guangzhou renewed prosperity.

As China’s largest southern city, Guangzhou is surging. Over the past 10 years, there’s been a 25 percent increase in population (now 12.7 million). Guangzhou climbed the ranks and is now classified as a Beta World City — defined as a major node in the global economic system and a strategic player in world finance and trade. Guangzhou boasts the largest comprehensive port in South China (fifth in the world by volume), while the revitalized Tianhe Business Zone accounts for nearly 40 percent of China’s production of PCs and digital devices. At the street level, this translates into plenty of new development related to electronics manufacture and international trade, headlined by the opening this July of the Bund Financial Street. Located on Changdi Road, the old bankers’ row, this is Guangzhou’s first private financial avenue, a half-mile of refurbished arcade architecture housing 32 firms dealing in investment, securities and venture capital. The city’s goal is to make the financial industry a very big player, accounting for 12 percent of Guangzhou’s gross domestic product by 2020.

Guangzhou’s keynote developments are being trumpeted up and down the Pearl River in the formerly forlorn districts of Haizhu on the south bank and Tianhe on the north bank. Haizhu’s expansion has been spurred by the opening of a new site for the Canton Trade Fair at Pazhou. Less densely populated than the traditional downtown business centers to the north, Haizhu has room to develop, although it now comes with some of the priciest real estate in the city, especially along the riverfront.

In addition to the Trade Fair site, Haizhu is presided over by the tallest structure in all of China, Canton Tower. Opened in 2010 and topping off at 1,969 feet, this TV tower is currently the fourth-tallest free-standing structure on Earth and a beacon to tourists with its multiple viewing decks, restaurant, 4-D cinema and vertigo-inducing glass floors.

Directly across the Pearl River in the Tianhe District is another emblem of downtown Guangzhou’s riverside shift, the Guangzhou International Finance Center, opened the same year as Canton Tower. At 1,440 feet, this 103-story skyscraper is currently China’s fourth tallest and No. 8 on the world list. The Guangzhou IFC is just one of a range of towers rising here. Beneath the skyscrapers is Zhujiang New Town Square, bordering the former site of the Asian Games. The east side of the square is anchored by the new Guangzhou Museum and the west side by the Guangzhou Opera House, designed by Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid. The Guangzhou Opera House is China’s third largest. Adding to Zhujiang New Town’s luster is the U.S. Consulate, currently constructing a large, new compound here.

Guangzhou has also been busy expanding its transportation infrastructure. The Metro system now has eight lines in full operation and ranks 10th in the world for both annual ridership and length of routes. The city hopes to more than double its lines and tracks by the end of the decade. The year 2010 also marked the opening of the Guangzhou Bus Rapid Transit system, the world’s second largest (800,000 passengers per day). More recently, a shortage of taxis, especially during rush hour, was met by the licensing of 1,000 additional orange and silver GPS-equipped hacks operating sunrise to sunset only. And as capital of the 40 million-person Pearl River Delta, which includes Hong Kong and Shenzhen, Guangzhou recently accelerated its rail connections to its neighbors. The Guangzhou-Zhuhai Intercity Railway, opened in 2011, runs trains averaging 124 mph. The high-speed railway to Wuhan, located on the resource-rich Yangzi River in central China, is faster yet, covering the 608 miles at an average speed of 200 mph.

The majority of Guangzhou’s recent business developments are concentrated along the Pearl River, where half a million foreign business travelers gravitate each year for the Canton Trade Fair. Guangzhou’s signature event holds sway twice yearly at the new Pazhou Complex in the Haizhu District. The fair attracts about 210,000 visitors (including 34,000 U.S. buyers) from more than 210 countries and regions and hosts 24,000 exhibitors (mostly China-based). Its spring and autumn sessions are each divided into three five-day phases, and goods run the gamut from shoes to smartphones. Business travelers should brace themselves during these high-priced booking periods, however, as hotel rooms are scarce and prices routinely double or triple. The Canton Fair is a barometer of the world economic situation; and not surprisingly, export volume did drop at the latest session, nearly 5 percent overall, with orders down from Europe and the United States. At the same time, the number of exhibitors and buyers was up, and some of the slack in trading was made up by buyers from non-Western regions.

As long as the world economy sputters, China’s own two-decades-long boom will be muffled, but Guangzhou is growing despite the slowdown, giving it the edge it needs to handle more prosperous times ahead.

Diversions

The 14-mile-long Scenic Corridor along the Pearl River showcases both new and old Guangzhou at its best. Upstream to the west, the feature attraction is Shamian Island, once the stronghold of European traders, missionaries and fortune hunters seeking a foothold in the Middle Kingdom. This colonial showpiece, just more than half a mile long, is worth strolling end to end. Forty-two of the 150 buildings on the island are Gothic, Baroque or Neoclassical survivors of the days when East met West in old Canton.

A short walk north of Shamian Island is Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street, Guangzhou’s first commercial pedestrian-only avenue. It runs nearly a mile through the old town of Xiguan. Many of its 300 shops are housed in Canton’s signature arcade architecture of the 1920s and ’30s. The souvenir shops and boutiques are interest-ing, but the teahouses and old shops are even more fascinating. Shangxiajiu is a prime spot for yum cha, the Cantonese morning tea featuring dim sum, the steamed dumplings and rolls that are hallmarks of Cantonese cuisine.

From Shangxiajiu it is worth a short detour north to another historic treasure, the Chen Clan Academy at 34 Enlong Lane, Zhongshan 7th Road. This ancestral worship center, completed in 1894, is a temple-like complex of 19 buildings and six courtyards, an ornate charmer housing the Guangdong Folk Art Museum.

Downriver on the south bank is Canton Tower, worth ascending simply for the sweeping views of the river and the city. And directly across the river is Zhujiang New Town Square, encompassed by four emblems of the new Guangzhou: an array of skyscrapers to the north, the grounds of the Asian Games to the south, China’s newest opera house to the west and the vast and varied Guangdong Provincial Museum to the east. This new fivestory museum’s 166,000 exhibits covering Cantonese art, history and customs are sprinkled with specimens of dinosaur bones.

To cap a day’s sightseeing (and shopping) along the Pearl River, it’s worth booking a dinner cruise to view the nightly light show, illuminating the new Guangzhou at its brightest.

Info To Go

The new Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN ) Metro Line 3 now provides a 50-minute link to downtown (about $2). The Airport Express Bus No. 1 serves most hotels (about $2.50). Airport taxis charge about $20. Urban area Metro fares start at about 30 cents, with most station signage in English. LPG-fueled taxi fares were recently raised but remain relatively low, starting at about $2 (first 1.5 miles).

Just The Facts

Time Zone: GMT + 8
Phone Code: Country code: 86 City code: 20
Currency: Chinese yuan, also known as Chinese yuan renminbi
Entry/Exit Requirements: U.S. citizens must have a passport valid for at least six months and acquire a visa before entry through specialized travel agencies or the nearest Chinese consulate.
Official Language: Mandarin Chinese (Putonghua). Cantonese dialect is widely spoken. An interpreter is recommended.
Key Industries: Manufacturing, shipping, international trade, finance, automobile assembly, pharmaceuticals, textiles, garments, IT, electronics, computers.

Lodging

Grand Hyatt Guangzhou

A 24-hour business center, technology concierges, airport limousine and a rooftop spa and fitness center make this 350- room, 5-star tower a favorite with CEOs. 12 Zhujiang Xi Lu, Tianhe District $$$$

The Ritz Carlton, Guangzhou

The high-end Ritz presides over Zhujiang New Town with 351 guestrooms starting on the 20th floor and a Club Level lounge on the 33rd. 3 Xing’an Lu, Tianhe District $$$$

Shangri-la Hotel, Guangzhou

With 704 guestrooms, six executive floors (31–36), golf practice facilities plus the Canton Fair next door, this is new Guangzhou’s leading luxury resort. 1 Hui Zhan Dong Lu, Haizhu District $$$$

Dining

Robata Bar and Grill

Fine dining gets a new twist at this classy steakhouse-cum- Japanese restaurant, complete with charcoal grills, sushi bar, sake lounge and wine cellar. Sofitel Guangzhou Sunrich Hotel, 988 Guangzhou Da Dao Zhong, Tianhe District $$$$

Summer Palace

At this elegant Cantonese restaurant, graced by 18 private dining rooms, dim sum rules during weekday lunches and weekend brunches. Shangri-La Hotel, 1 Hui Zhan Dong Lu, Haizhu District $$$–$$$$

Tao Tao Ju

This 132-year-old restaurant on Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street is vast, noisy and crammed with dim sum, including jiang cu zhu (pork fist with ginger vinegar and eggs). 20 Dishifu Lu, Liwan District $$–$$$

Weblinks

Canton Fair
Canton Tower

Checking In With Frank Wen

Vice President and General Manager, Shangri-La Hotel, Guangzhou

What Tips Do You Have For Business Traveler’s, Especially During The Canton Trade Fair?

First, check reliable travel sites to gauge the overall experience shared by guests at hotels in Guangzhou. Weigh your preferences for hotel location, overall environment, products and services. Then get in touch with the hotel of your choice and find out if there are additional services to help business travelers achieve a hassle-free stay. For example, free shuttle service to the Trade Center will help you save time and money, a registration center on the hotel site will help you avoid wasting time in line, a variety of dining options in the hotel can provide venues for business entertaining or social gatherings, and a knowledgeable hotel service team can assist with any challenges you might have.

What Does The Shangri-la Hotel Offer?

Shangri-La Hotel, Guangzhou is an urban oasis blending pleasure with business. One of its chief lures is its location. Situated at the heart of the city’s new commercial and business district on the Pearl River, the Shangri-La Hotel provides easy access to the new Canton Trade Fair; its facilities are literally next door. The hotel also offers spectacular river and skyline views. Visitors can reinvigorate themselves in the hotel’s lush gardens; enjoy a friendly golf practice session on our private putting green; or indulge in an enticing array of international cuisines served in our food theater, the WOK TOO Café. There’s a comprehensive fitness center; and all our guestrooms, restaurants, meeting rooms and public areas are covered by WiFi, keeping guests globally in touch at all times.

What Do You Recommend For Visitors To See And Do In Guangzhou?

Since the Asian Games in 2010, Guangzhou has undergone tremendous changes and turned itself into a modern city. If time allows, we suggest business travelers extend their stays one or two more days in order to experience how in this new city “the contemporary meets the traditional.” Taste the Cantonese morning tea, or yum cha, at a local teahouse. Stroll through one of our local wholesale markets, perhaps the famous Qingping Market on Qingping Road or the Onelink Wholesale Market on Yi De Road, a hot spot for toys, gifts and accessories. And along the way, don’t overlook our historical treasures, including the new Guangdong Museum, the Chen Clan Academy and Shamian Island, all testifying to Guangzhou’s role as the heartland of Cantonese culture for more than 2,200 years.