here - Academic Department - Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

4 International Business School Suzhou ibss.xjtlu.edu.cn 5About SuzhouInternational Business School Suzhou, located in theheart of Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP), is placed in one ofthe most vibrant centres of business activity in China.Its SIP neighbours include one-fifth of the Fortune Global500 companies. SIP has also attracted investmentfrom 4,700 foreign enterprises and 18,000domestic companies.Suzhou is well connected to other parts of China and the rest of theworld and is a great place from which to begin exploring China andits neighbours. It falls geographically within the “One-hour EconomicCircle” in the Yangtze River Delta, and other cities, including the majorbusiness, financial and cultural centres of Shanghai and Wuxi, can bereached via the high speed intercity railway network. Internationaland national links are provided by Shanghai’s two majorinternational airports.Suzhou has been called a “paradise on the earth” since its foundationover 2,500 years ago near the mouth of the Yangtze River. Its classicalgardens, canals, and architecture give it a well-deserved reputation asone of the most beautiful and celebrated cities in China. Today it is alsoone of the most modern and developed cities along China’s easterncoast, and the city’s rich cultural traditions coexist harmoniously with itsrapid economic development. With an average annual growth of 15%,Suzhou is one of China’s most developed cities and is ranked amongthe country’s top five cities in terms of GDP; in addition, The Economisthas ranked Suzhou as one of China’s most liveable cities, second onlyto Beijing. Its energetic atmosphere and unique blend of the contemporarywith the ancient make it a truly unforgettable place to visit, or to live.This environment providesideal social, economic as wellas geographic conditions forthe sustainable growth of IBSS.