The Grand Epoch City.	Oriental University City, Langfang.	A gate-opening ceremony.

AN older brother often eclipses a younger one - perhaps because he makes more noise. Cities are little different. Beijing, for instance, is a bustling metropolis, brash and arrogant, while its sibling, Langfang, though just 40 kilometers distant, is a world away. And yet, like many competing brothers, it is the more unassuming who sometimes wins the day.

For better or worse, Beijingers consider Langfang as their backyard, and every weekend buses ply the expressway between the two. In Yangjiaying, a village famed for its eco-farming, most of the cars parked near the farmyards bear outside license plates.

Antiquities

The city derives its name from a man named Lü Qi, vice minister of war in the Later Jin (936-946) of the Five Dynasties period (907-960), and like so many others before him, he built a mansion in his hometown. It quickly became a landmark known to the locals as "Shilangfang,"; the House of the Vice Minister, and the name stuck. Inevitably, wars and revolutions reduced the grounds to near ruins.

One of the few Chinese victories in the conflicts of the early 20th century against foreign invaders occurred in Langfang, when in 1900 the Eight Power Allied Forces came up against fierce resistance as they marched on Beijing. Although outgunned and suffering nearly a thousand casualties, Chinese troops prevailed. It was one of the most significant Chinese triumphs since the first Opium War (1840-1842), and Langfang entered the history books as a seat of resistance.

As a borderland between ancient China and the northern nomadic tribes, Langfang was influenced by both the Han civilization and nomadic ethnicity. As one contemporary writer described it: "We live along the boundary river (Yongding), but no one dares fish."; Ouyang Xiu, another writer during the Song Dynasty (960-1279), spoke of life in Langfang as a frontier between two regimes, with the area north of the Yongding River belonging to the Liao Dynasty of the Qidan (Khitan) people, and to the south, ruled by the Song.

The history of that tension can still be seen in the military tunnels that extend for some 300 square kilometers in the south of the Yongding River. The discovery of the first tunnel was accidental, when a local farmer seeking treasure stumbled upon it. His interest waned when all he and his fellow villagers found were bits of porcelain. But the importance of the find was ultimately recognized in 1989, when specialists confirmed that the site was a military engineering project dating back to the period of warfare between the Song (960-1279), Liao (907-1125) and Jin (1115-1234) dynasties.

The tunnels are only 1.5 meters high and half a meter wide, enough for a soldier to make his way through, without much else, but they were strategically important all the same. After centuries shut off from the light of day, the air inside is humid and acrid.

Ironically, it was Empress Dowager Cixi (1835-1908) who was responsible for the modernization of Langfang. Known as a cruel and demanding ruler, this notorious empress from the last years of Chinese feudalism decreed that a railway station be built in Langfang, making the once untraveled village a hub of communication between Beijing and Tianjin. Now, connected by both railway and highway, it takes a mere half hour to cover the 40 kilometers from Langfang to Beijing and the 60 kilometers to Tianjin.

And yet, Langfang remains quiet, as it has for centuries. It is the first inland city in north China to receive the China Habitat Award. As to tourist attractions, there is the leaning pagoda, built in the Liao Dynasty, and the ancient town of Shengfang. Many citizens from Beijing and Tianjin prefer to spend their free time in rural Langfang, picking their own fruits and vegetables. A country life is popular with everyone.

Two Cities in Xianghe

For those who lament the disappearance of old Beijing, Langfang's Grand Epoch City is a must-visit spot. Located in Xianghe County that borders Beijing, it is an exact replica of the capital as it existed during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Surrounded by a five-kilometer hollow wall, dotted with 22 gate towers, it covers an area of 240 hectares, and the city blends a typical Chinese style with modern amenities.

The city has a conference and exhibition center and five world-class hotels to meet every demand, as well as the Golden Arts Hall, the Buddhism Museum, a golf course, a water park and a well-equipped gym. Since 2004, over a million tourists have visited, and the city has been the venue for a number of important conferences, such as the Second International Finance Forum and the Seventh G-20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meetings.

For people with more ordinary concerns, Xianghe is another name for furniture. Being one of China's largest furniture distribution centers, the county sees thousands of buyers - wholesale and retail - come and go everyday. The furniture is sold mainly to the northern provinces and to Russia, Mongolia, Canada, Southeast Asia and Africa.

Environmental Protection

"What counts is to find one's own path,"; Mayor Wang Aimin said when reflecting on his work. By employing its geographic intimacy with the capital and the coastal city of Tianjin, he believes, Langfang can easily become their natural partner. With per-capita GDP reaching RMB 22,000 in 2007, and municipal revenue surging forward at 30 percent, it is clear that the younger brother is catching up. To do that, Langfang has devoted its re-sources to creating an investment environment that combines a vibrant industrial base with an environmentally sound municipal policy, achieving the dual goal of economic prosperity and quality of life.

Many of the world's top companies have already taken note. Manufacturers of electronics, automobile components and information systems have all established themselves in Langfang, with firms like Foxconn, Huawei, ZTE and BOE among its industrial giants. They are all prepared to cooperate with foreign concerns.

To protect the environment, Langfang has instituted a "veto system"; on industrial projects. In 2006, for example, a foreign-funded enterprise hoping to invest RMB 2 billon in a 200-hectare project was rejected for its inattention to land use concerns. Another plant, a printing and dyeing mill prepared to move to Langfang - with a total investment of RMB 1 billion and a potential annual tax payment of RMB 100 million - was turned down because it consumed too much water. Since 2000, Langfang has voted down 56 projects, worth RMB 8.157 billion, in its dedication to preserving a pristine environment.

While stringent, the result has been the creation of an area of unsurpassed natural beauty - and locals have dubbed their city a "natural oxygen bar"; between Beijing and Tianjin.

Serenity

Mayor Wang has an apt description. "Like the ‘Golden Phoenix,' projects depend on circumstances. To build a city worth living in, the environment must be valued."; Ensuring sustainable economic and social development is the city's competitive edge.

One such project involves a team of scientists from the United States. At the end of 2003, eight professionals and academicians - with degrees from Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Pittsburgh - arrived in Langfang from Boston. They set up XinAoMDT Technology Co., Ltd. (XinAoMDT), a high-tech joint venture founded by the XinAo Group (China), and Multi-Dimension Technology LLC (U.S.A.), which is dedicated to innovating and manufacturing intelligent digital medical technologies and products.

The choice, according to Dr. Zhao Lei, vice president of XinAoMDT, is simple. "A good bird chooses the branch it perches upon,"; he said. "For one thing, we are deeply impressed by the vision of the city leaders. They have provided us with unlimited development space. The elegant surroundings and beautiful forests make this a unique place.";

An especially pleasant surprise, Zhao said, was the local government's attentive care and assistance - from driver's license applications to project support. Since the company was founded, he said, state-supported projects have earned millions of RMB. "Whenever a national project comes up, the relevant departments inform us, so we can invest in time.";

In a mere seven months, that investment paid off. The world's first 0.45T permanent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system was invented in Langfang, to be followed by a series of groundbreaking technologies, such as the first mammography imaging system, a minimally invasive MRI treatment system, and a robot manufacturing system.

In short order, XinAoMDT has become an international corporation with a dominant presence on both domestic and foreign markets, with ties to such global players as General Electric and General Motors.

Unlike many foreign enterprises that have set up shop in China with an eye to quick profits, the executives and technicians at XinAoMDT have brought back the skills they learned abroad to serve the motherland. With over 300 technical experts and sci-tech personnel from around the country and the world, the company's prospects -with returns totaling RMB 120 million last year, projected to double this year - will only brighten.

"We are witnessing the evolution of this native-born ‘foreign enterprise', and it will be a touchstone for global cooperation,"; Mayor Wang said proudly.

No less an authority than the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) agrees. As a masterpiece jointly initiated by Langfang and the Shanshan Group, Zhongke Langfang Technology Valley has been recognized by UNIDO as a model of high-tech international cooperation, whose experience, it hopes, may guide the development of the emerging world.

"The Valley aims to build a platform for high-tech industry outside the metropolis,"; said Li Huaizhang, president of Zhongke Langfang Technology Valley Co., Ltd. "We want people to know that while in Beijing there is the Zhongguancun Science Park, there is also a technology valley outside the city. This is the birth of a Chinese Silicon Valley.";

How to Build a Beautiful City

Langfang is changing rapidly. When the municipality was established in 1989, it consisted of little more than one main street, and the tallest building was just three stories high. Today, Langfang is a thriving modern city. Vast green belts, parks, elegant squares and art centers all make the city impressive to behold.

"The city belongs to the people. During his term of office, a mayor must leave some positive accomplishments for his citizens and their children. That is why we are constantly thinking about how to make Langfang a classic city,"; the mayor said.

Inside the Langfang City Planning Hall, a detailed model represents how the city will look in the future. "What we are trying to do is to link the future with the present, and to build a town where half a million people can live and work in dignity and comfort,"; said Wang Hongmei, general manager of the Wanzhuang project.

That sense of order is apparent on every street and lane, where carefully planted trees shade strollers from the noonday sun. Thanks to the foresight of the city's administrators and the collective efforts of the people of Langfang, the city has become an enjoyable place to both work and live in.

And the work goes on. Over the next three years, Langfang will continue to focus on its economy, its urban construction, people's livelihoods and ecological protection. Currently, 10 key projects are in the works, dealing with city planning, traffic, the water system and landscape engineering, for a total investment of RMB 100 billion.

"In the economic development of the Bohai-rim region, Langfang plays a vital roll and its future cannot be matched,"; says Wu Liangyong, professor at Tsinghua University and academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering.

Little brothers always grow up, and Langfang certainly proves that rule. It was recently chosen as one of the top-20 investment areas in China, and as the nation prepares for the Beijing Olympics, the vibrant people of this rising city extend a warm welcome to guests and friends from around the world.