Located in the southern wing of the Yangtze River Delta, Shaoxing County has Ningbo to the east and Hangzhou to the west. Under the jurisdiction of the county are four sub-district committees and fifteen townships with a population of 710,000. Keqiao is the capital city of the 1,130-square-kilometer county.
One of the first 24 historical and cultural cities in China, Shaoxing County was a center of politics, culture and culture in southern China from the Qin and the Han dynasties up to the Ming and the Qing dynasties. The county not only bred outstanding people over centuries but also enjoys a fine reputation as a pearl in southern China, birthplace of silk making, and land of culture and the home of prominent scholars.
Since reform and opening-up, Shaoxing has made rapid headway in economic development and various social undertakings. It is one of the well-off counties first named in Zhejiang by the provincial government. Since 1991, Shaoxing has been recognized every year as one of the top 100 counties and county-level cities in China for their overall strength and has been among the top ten many times. Since 1988, the county has been named by the state fiscal authorities as one of the top ten counties with best fiscal results for three consecutive times. In 2002, the county again ranked as one of the top ten counties with best economy. Shaoxing is also state-honored model county for urban and rural development, primary education, sporting activities, autonomous village governance, rural healthcare and sanitary work, and ecological protection.
Shaoxing County also boasts one of the largest marketplaces in China. China Textile City in Keqiao is now Asia’s largest textile trading place, with its trade volume accounting 1/3 of the nation’s aggregate. The textile city ranks as the second of China’s top ten largest wholesale markets. Largely based on the advantages of the textile city, the Shaoxing Keqiao Economic Development Zone, a provincial-grade economic development zone, has taken the initial shape, and plays an important role in the county’s opening up to the outside world.
Thanks to the economic prosperity, the county has made great headway in educational, cultural, public health fields and other undertakings.