AROUND 300 years ago, the first group of Korean migrants from the Korean Peninsula set foot in northeast China -- forefathers of the Korean residents of the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, Jilin Province. On December 24, 1991, the United Nations Development Program announced its plan to raise a total of US $30 billion in 20 years for the international development of the Tumen River Delta. This grand plan has opened up broad prospects for Yanbian, which is located in the delta.

On the Border of Three Nations

Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture occupies an area of 42,700 square kilometers, equivalent to the size of the Netherlands, or 40 times the size of Hong Kong. At the juncture of three countries -- China, Russia and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, it plays a pivotal role in the land and sea transportation network linking Asia, Europe and America.

As the largest Korean-populated area in China, Yanbian maintains a good relationship with Korean people the world over. This kinship brings tangible benefits to the prefecture, in the form of funds, talent and technologies, as well as nurturing its export-oriented economy. The prefecture is well placed to conduct international cooperation by virtue of its strategic position within the Northeastern Asia Economic Cooperation Circle, which encompasses ten open ports of entry. According to statistics, its import and export volume amounted to US $310 million in 2000.

Rich natural resources in Yanbian have laid the foundations for further economic growth. With forest coverage of over 78.2 percent, the prefecture is one of China's key timber production bases. Bestowed as it is with almost 100 proven metallic and nonmetallic deposits, over 1,460 species of wild plants of economic value, and 250 species of wild animals, Yanbian has forged a characteristic economic structure focusing on foreign trade, forestry, energy and the pharmaceutical industry.

An Ethnic Group Gifted in Singing and Dancing Prowess

Korean people are noted for their enthusiasm for sports, singing and dancing, all of which are a part of their daily life. The most popular sports are football, wrestling, seesawing and swinging. Swinging is a particular favorite with Korean women. The swing is generally secured to a stout branch, with bells or colorful streamers hanging at the front. When a skilled swinger hikes up high enough to touch the bells or streamers, its exponent wins thunderous applause and cheers. Traditional Korean dances include the long-drum dance, the farmer's joy dance, the fan dance, the sword dance and the jar-topping dance.

Dietetic habitude is a key component of Korean ethnic culture. Pickled food is an indispensable item on any Korean menu. These are of a wide variety, from vegetables to seafood. According to Korean custom, the local people make songpyeon (glutinous rice dumplings steamed on a layer of pine needles) at the Mid-Autumn Festival, prepare a five-cereal meal at the Lantern Festival, and enjoy beef broth dumplings and tusu wine at Spring Festival.

A Homeland by Mountains and Rivers

The Changbai Mountains on the Sino-Korean boundary are Yanbian's landmark. With a history of over 2 million years, this giant dormant volcano is perennially covered in a dense layer of snow, hence its name, Changbai (Ever White). Its unique geographic location and geological structure endow the mountains with a spectacularly volcanic physiognomy, and rich plant and animal resources. The ecological environment varies in line with the different altitudes passed through when ascending the mountain, earning the Changbai Mountains the epithet, genetic species bank, and natural museum.

Rising southeast of the Changbai Mountains, the Shiyi River is the source of the Tumen River, the longest in Yanbian. Stretching 525 kilometers, the Tumen River flows past the Fangchuan guard post at the juncture of the Chinese, Korean and Russian boundaries, before emptying into the Japanese Sea. When enjoying the view from the Overlooking Sea Pavilion, visitors may gain a full understanding of the local saying, "seeing three nations at a glance."

As regards the US $30 billion investment in the Tumen River Delta, Nan Xiangfu, governor of the prefecture, declares: "This is a golden opportunity. We must take full advantage of the preferential policies for Western Development. Every effort should be made to forge an economy with local characteristics, which focuses on international cooperation and development in the Tumen River area, as well as protection and utilization of the resources on the Changbai Mountains. Living standards should also be further improved. We are struggling to bring about major leaps in the social and economic growth of Yanbian."

Two Vibrant Frontier Cities

Founded on September 3, 1952, Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture has jurisdiction over five cities -- Yanji, Dunhua, Longjing, Hunchun and Tumen, and three counties -- Antu, Helong and Wangqing, with Yanji as its capital.

Tumen, a Window of Opening on the Frontier

Lying on the lower reaches of the Tumen River, with the DPRK on its opposite bank, Tumen is a fine border port city with an attractive landscape and rich mineral resources. The Tumen River area has a long history of foreign trade. Tumen port was designated a first-category port upon the founding of the people's republic. In the 1950s, a custom-house, quarantine service, and commodity and frontier inspection administration were established in Tumen. With the increase of its foreign trade volume, the port later set up a commodity transfer service for international through-transport, and a joint inspection administration. As a main port in the hinterland of northeast China leading to Northeastern Asia, Tumen port handles the transshipment of imports and exports between China and the DPRK, Japan, and Russia.

With its developed transportation network and geo-advantages, Tumen has become a favored choice for multi-national economic cooperation, and has now established trade and economic ties with over 20 countries and regions. A total of US $20 million investment has been used, and the annual import and export volume exceeds US $100 million.

Besides foreign trade, the resource advantages of Tumen are also given full rein. Extensive efforts are being made to develop its plastic, petrochemical, mineral and pharmaceutical industries, and a comprehensive industrial pattern has been set up with the processing sector at its core. Tumen is the largest plastic producer in Jilin Province, and is strong in the manufacture and development of plastic products. Lignin, a rare chemical that is produced by only three factories across China, gives Tumen a leading edge in the petrochemical sector. The city has also launched two foreign-invested projects exploiting rock crystal and lead-zinc mines, which are expected to generate over a hundred million yuan in output value and gross profit.

Yanji, a Capital with Rich Ethnic Features

Yanji, capital of the prefecture, lies west of Tumen City, 60 kilometers from the Sino-Russia border and 80 kilometers from the Japanese Sea. With good seafaring conditions, it is one of the vertexes (the other two being Vladivostok in Russia and Chongjin in the DPRK) of the UNDP's golden triangle international development project.

Yanji is the political, economic, transport, cultural, and scientific and technological hub of Yanbian Prefecture, and has been densely inhabited by Koreans since ancient times. When asked about Yanji's development plan, Mayor Bai Zhezhu says: "In the new century Yanji will implement an open-drive strategy. The whole city will be mobilized to develop an export-oriented economy, the first step being to make breakthroughs in the construction of an investment environment."

In order to improve its living conditions and investment environment, the city has assembled the financial, material and manpower resources to upgrade the urban infrastructure. In 2000, the investment reached 120 million yuan, resulting in an improved water supply, telecommunications, and transport conditions in Yanji.

In 2000 Yanji held its Chinese Korean Folklore Tourism Exposition, when a huge variety of folk handicrafts, souvenirs, medicine, foodstuffs, musical instruments and clothing were on display. This exposition gave good exposure to Chinese Korean folk culture, and promoted Yanji's standing among foreign countries. By the end of 2000 Yanji had attracted investors from 12 countries and regions, and signed 641 projects involving a total foreign investment of US $270 million.

Resources Bolstering Industrialization

Having originated within the Yanbian Oil Refinery, the Yanbian Tumenjiang Petrochemical Co., Ltd., has, since China's reform and opening up, evolved into a large industrial enterprise. Occupying an area of 645,000 square meters, and with fixed assets of 353 million yuan, the corporation encompasses three exclusively-owned subsidiaries and one joint venture.

The Tumenjiang Petrochemical Co., has adhered to the "invigorating the enterprise by science and technology" guideline. During the Eighth Five-Year Plan period it accelerated refurbishment of equipment, development of new products, and adjustment of its product structure. As a result, the corporation saw a steady increase in its output value, and its product range increased from 8 kinds in 4 categories to 19 kinds in 12 categories. The Tumenjiang Petrochemical Co., has now grown into a comprehensive fuel chemical enterprise.

In 2001, the Tumenjiang Petrochemical Co., Ltd., embarked on a project to produce methyl ethyl ketone, a key chemical material in great demand on the market but which is mainly imported to China. With an investment of 160 million yuan from the corporation, this project has an annual capacity of 20,000 tons. With the exploitation of oil fields and advance of opening-up in Yanbian, the Tumenjiang Petrochemical Co., Ltd., is bound to gain even greater momentum.

Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Despite a history of thousands of years and miraculous results, traditional Chinese medicine has been eclipsed by the rise of Western medicine, but it may be attested a promising industry, judging by the success of the Aodong Pharmaceutical Group.

Since the early 1980s the Aodong Pharmaceutical Group has been working to produce top-grade TCM of high added value via high-tech and high input. It substituted the traditional preparation method of boiling with modern technologies, including supercritical extraction and ultra high-speed separation, thus retaining more useful components, reducing pollution, and cutting energy consumption and cost. The group has built a 10,000 square meter modern preparation tower and quality test center, and invested 15 million yuan in building a computer-controlled stereo elevated warehouse. Top-notch production lines for oral liquid medicine and capsules have also been imported from Germany and Italy. At a total investment of 150 million yuan, the fourth stage of the GMP technical upgrading project will further enhence the group's technological level of TCM production.

Tenacious efforts have yielded fruit. In 1994 the Aodong Pharmaceutical Group passed its ISO9002 attestation, the first within China's traditional medicine sector. In 1996 its flag product, Tranquilizing and Brain-Nourishing Liquid, passed FDA validation, and was given the green light in the American market. In the same year, 13 of its products were designated as trust-worthy products by the provincial and state health departments, of which Tranquilizing and Brain-Nourishing Liquid, and Deer Tendon Bone-Strengthening Liquor were selected as protected traditional Chinese medicine remedies.

Spurred on by the logo "life or death, renovation or not", Aodong people are struggling for the prosperity not only of the group, but also of China's traditional medicine industry.

Despite its northeast location, Yanbian was invited to attend the 2001 Western China Forum. Gifted with rich natural resources and motivated by the Western Development drive, Yanbian is bound to march on to still greater prosperity.

By staff reporters SUN CUIPING & LI JIALIN