Besides Shanghai, Suzhou is also well linked to other cities in the Yangtze River Delta. For example, from Suzhou to Nantong, Jiangsu Province, Shi's hometown, it is just a one-and-a-half-hour drive and a rail link between the cities is being planned. It also takes just one hour from Suzhou to Zhenjiang, Zhang's hometown, by fast train.

While rapid development has brought convenience it also worries Shi. "Suzhou used to be a land of fish and rice, but now it is becoming a large factory and experiencing a process from ecological deterioration to restoration," he said. In his memory, when he first came to Suzhou in 2001, the tap water had no smell, but since 2005 it has smelled of bleaching powder.

Vigor and opportunity

Sanggi Shon, a Korean, has been the Dean of the Suzhou Campus of Daejin University since February 2007. Jointly established by Soochow University and Daejin University in South Korea, the Suzhou Campus of Daejin University offers training courses in Chinese language and culture for students from Daejin University.

Once a student in the United States, Shon had worked as a university professor, financial consultant for multinationals and researcher. His motive for working in China is to nurture Korean professionals to understand China's economy and culture, so as to serve the Korean companies investing in China and promote friendly exchanges between the two countries.

Having been to many cities around the world, Shon is still deeply impressed by Suzhou. "The city is clean and the people are kind," he told Beijing Review. Shon has heard of the famous Chinese saying: "Just as there is paradise in heaven, there are Suzhou and Hangzhou on earth."

Living with his wife and one of his sons in a community along the edge of Jinjihu Lake in the industrial park, Shon loves the beautiful night view across the water. He also thinks that life in the industrial park is convenient. His wife used to return to South Korea for shopping, but now she often picks up clothes at an outlet on the lakeside and buys food from supermarkets in the industrial park. His son is studying at the junior middle school in the industrial park.

His one complaint is price. "The restaurants' Korean dishes in the industrial park are too expensive. They are as expensive as in South Korea," he said.

In his spare time, besides playing tennis and golf, Shon visits Suzhou's garden parks and takes trips to ancient villages around the city. One of his favorite pasttimes is watching dance performances, or listening to traditional Chinese music, performed in the city's parks.

Shon has witnessed China's rapid development in recent years, especially in coastal areas. Many foreign businesses have invested in Suzhou and the city is rife with possibilities. "The opportunities in Suzhou are unimaginable," he said.