The challenge of academic writing for Chinese students within ...

low hills, and river deltas, while Western and South-western China are distinguished by
plateaux, high mountains, grasslands, deserts and sunken basins. Originating in the Qinghai
plateau, the Changjiang (the Yangzi River) and the Yellow River (Huanghe) are two of the
longest and most famous rivers in China, as shown in Figure 1.1. Known as the birthplace of
ancient Chinese culture and the cradle of Chinese civilization, the Yellow River meanders
across nine provinces and autonomous regions from the Western plateaux to the Northern
plains. The Changjiang, a major transportation artery, is of great importance in the economic
development of its river valley.
The nation consists of Han Chinese, the largest ethnic group, and 56 ethnic minority groups.
Han Chinese constitutes over 90% of the population. China comprises 23 provinces, five
autonomous regions (Tibet, Ningxia, Guangxi, Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia), four
municipalities (Beijing—which is also the capital city--Shanghai, Tianjin, and Chongqing),
and two special administrative regions (Hong Kong and Macao). The distribution of
population in China is imbalanced, which is caused partly by the diverse geography and
partly by uneven regional economic development. The largest population is concentrated in
the Sichuan basins, the Changjiang delta, the North China Plain and the East China Plain.
Henan province is the most populous region in China with around 92 million people
(National Bureau of Statistics of China 2000). Located in central China, Henan has a
temperate climate. In contrast Xizang Autonomous Region (i.e. Tibet) has the smallest
population in China with its remote location, high plateaux and harsh weather conditions. A
number of provinces in eastern and southern coastal areas have the highest concentration of
the population. The economic development of these regions attracts a large number of
migrant workers from rural areas and the northern part of China.
The open-door policy and economic reforms launched by Deng Xiaoping 1 in 1978 resulted in
the rapid growth of foreign trade and foreign investment. Special economic zones (SEZs)
were established in the southern coastal provinces of Guangdong, Fujian and Hainan (see
Figure 1.2). Subsequently another 14 port cities along the eastern coast and three river delta
regions were opened up (see Figure 1.2). The establishment of SEZs and open cities acted as
‗windows‘ for new technology, managerial capacity building, knowledge transfer and a sense
1 Deng Xiaoping (1904-1997) was the most powerful figure in Chinese politics from the late 1970s until his
death in 1997. He abandoned many orthodox communist doctrines and introduced elements of free-market
system into Chinese economy. He is widely regarded as the architect of the emerging new China.
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