Scenic Site Management

Scenic Site Management

China World Trade Corp has achieved to acquire a management company to hot business travel scenic site. The move ensures the Company establishing an exclusive foothold into a growing and high-end business travel market. It also represents exactly the type of opportunities that the Company will seek to acquire or build as China World Trade Corp re-focuses its travel-related business services.

The management company, Suzhou Tongli (International) Excursion Development Limited ("STED") is the sole tourism operator and planner of all scenic sites in Tongli Town of Suzhou Province, China ( www.tongli.net ), including the Retreat and Reflection (Tuisi) Garden which is recognized as one of the UNESCO World Heritage ( http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/813 ). Incorporated in 2006, STED is a joint venture between CWT International Excursion Investment Limited (51% ownership) and Wujiang Tongli Tourism Ltd ("WTT", 49% ownership) a state-owned tourism enterprise based in Tongli. In addition to having entrance tickets operations rights for Tongli scenic destinations, STED is working with the government of Tongli to implement tourism programs and construct service facilities to expand the town's reputation as the best ancient water village travel destination.

With strong tourism and business travel growth opportunities in the region, this strategic acquisition provides China World Trade Corp with entry into the high margin tourism segment of the travel business that contains a high entry barrier. The Group believes this investment makes both short and long-term sense and our Board of Directors sees a significant economic benefit to China World Trade Corp

10th International Architecture Exhibition- Biennale Venice

Tongli Town latest tourist re-development and town planning has appointed the international architect, Mi Qiu. Mi Qiu has injected the main expression of a new Architectural Manifesto concept to the restoring historical area and the construction of the new innovative sustainable urban settlements for the China of the future.

Mi Qiu has also chosen Tongli Town as his architecture project to join the 10th International Architecture Exhibition ran from 10th September to 19th November 2006. The Exhibition was held in Venice, Italy. It featured distinct yet complementary sections: Cities, architecture and society; Cities of Stone; City-Port; National Participations; Workshops; Conference; Collateral Events and Official Awards.

(www.labiennale.org/en/architecture/exhibition/en/64214.html)

Mi Qiu’s vision is to restore the ancient town, respecting carefully the Chinese cultural roots together with the urban development of the surrounding area. The new two-faced dream city is born: the renovated historical area with full respect of ancient traditions and the new environmentally sustainable, modern urban development.

More About Tongli Town

Tongli Town is one of the several towns on the outskirts of Suzhou City, PR China, just 18 kilometers (11 miles) away. Located on the eastern shore of Taihu Lake, Tong Li town is 63 square kilometers (24 square miles) in area and has a population of over 33 thousand.

Originally named Fushi, Tongli Town is an age-old but very well preserved water township with a history of more than 1,000 years. There are roads, but the main arteries through the town are the canals. The pictures from this water city turned out much better than the town itself.

In 1981 Tong Li Town was declared one of the thirteen national standard tour towns of the Taihu Lake region. In addition, in 1982 it was listed for protection as the standard provincial town of cultural interest in Jiangsu Province. Tong Li is now a highly praised historical site and tourist resort and enjoys increasing popularity with travel enthusiasts

Bridges: These are the vital links between the different parts of town. Forty-nine stone bridges in a variety of styles join the seven islands created by fifteen rivers and five lakes upon which Tong Li stands. Each bridge has a name and these examples will give the tourists an idea of the poetic nature of the inhabitants. Perhaps the most notable are Peace and Tranquility (Taiping) Bridge, Luck (Jili) Bridge and Lasting Celebration (Changqing) Bridge. These are known as Ternate Bridges as they cross three rivers at their confluence and form a natural ring road. The small and exquisite Taiping Bridge was built during the reign of emperor Jiaqing of the Qing dynasty; Jili Bridge is an arch bridge and inscribed with age-old couplets describing the beautiful painting-like views at either end; Changqing Bridge, also named Guangli Bridge, was originally constructed in 1470 and rebuilt by Xiezhen in 1704. Ternate Bridges are propitious symbols in the eyes of the local residents and they walk over them for good luck during wedding or birthday parties. The oldest bridge in Tong Li is Reflecting Origin (Siben) Bridge which was built in the Song Dynasty (960 - 1279) while the smallest bridge is called Single Step (Dubu) which is only one and a half meter (5 feet) in length and less than one meter (3 feet) in width. Standing motionless for hundreds of years, the bridges bear witness to the vicissitudes of history and remain an indispensable part of the township.

Residential House: Tong Li Town deserves its reputation of a 'museum of ancient architectures' as there are good many houses and temples dating from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Built along the riversides and decorated with flying eaves, carved windows, porcelain furniture, figured clay bricks, dapper gardens and small stairs leading down to the water, these complexes mean Tong Li Town is a shining pearl among the water-towns south of Yangtze River. Retreat and Reflection (Tuisi) Garden, built by the retired official Ren Lansheng during 1885 and 1887, is the most spectacular in Tong Li. Its name is derived from an aphorism expressed in a very famous biography called Zuo Zhuan written by Zuo Qiuming in the Eastern Zhou period (770 BC - 221 BC):'Be loyal to the emperor when in officialdom; be meditative upon the previous faults while away from officialdom.' The ingenious design for Tuisi Garden conforms to the local landforms and conditions and covers about 700 square meters (one fifth acre). Compact and harmonious, the garden is in two parts. The residential area to the west consists of an outer house and inner house including the sedan hall, the tea hall, a main reception hall and two buildings forming the actual dwelling. The garden in the east has ponds, Marble Boats, waterside pavilions, halls, kiosks, verandas, rockeries and bridges. Together with flourishing trees and colorful flowers the
garden greets visitors with its beauty and charm whatever the season.

Cultural History: Tong Li is a town with a profound cultural background and achievement. From ancient times, it has been teeming with poets, painters, Confucian scholars and government officials. Their abilities have made great contributions to progress in many areas of the country. Dozens of stone tablets from different periods are preserved in Tong Li and many of the streets are named after their official titles. Walking through the alleys of this venerable water town, one cannot fail to appreciate its pristine and intoxicating atmosphere.