An aerial view of Quzhou in East China's Zhejiang province. [Photo/VCG]

Quzhou is accelerating its push to become a modern hub at the border of four provinces — Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangxi, and Fujian — by improving urban livability and strengthening its role as a regional center.

With more than 1,800 years of history, Quzhou continues to attract tourists with its cultural appeal. In 2024, the city received 39.32 million tourist trips, with tourism revenue reaching 42.9 billion yuan ($6.06 billion), up 16.6 percent and 17.7 percent year-on-year, respectively.

The city's new materials industry chain posted a 10.5 percent annual increase this year and is on track to become Quzhou's first 100-billion-yuan industrial cluster. High-tech growth has been underpinned by innovation platforms and talent inflows.

Quzhou has established 16 research institutes across its key industries and attracted nearly 400 PhD holders over the past two years — equal to the total of the previous decade.

Connectivity is also advancing rapidly. Multiple rail and expressway links now converge in Quzhou, its airport has exceeded 1 million passengers annually, and its port network reaches seven provinces and 32 cities, with international cargo reaching destinations as far as Canada through onward connections. The soon-to-open Hangzhou-Quzhou high-speed railway will cut travel time to 40 minutes.

As its transport networks expand, Quzhou's openness continues to rise. The city trades with more than 200 countries and regions and is home to 1,438 enterprises engaged in export businesses.