5. Where in China is Duke Kunshan? Could you tell us a bit more about the city of Kunshan?
The city of Kunshan lies in the heart of the Yangtze River Delta region, one of the most developed areas in China. Bordering Shanghai, a large international metropolis, to the east and Suzhou, one of the country’s most renowned cultural and historical cities, to the west, Kunshan is an emerging industrial and commercial city with a history dating back more than 2,000 years. As an important county-level city in the southeastern part of Jiangsu province, Kunshan occupies an area of 359 square miles (931 square kilometers), one-quarter of which is covered by lakes and rivers. Kunshan’s superior natural and urban living environment has attracted people from all over the world to live and work. Widely considered a successful model for China’s social and economic development, Kunshan has won many titles, including the top ranking in Forbes China’s list of best county-level cities in the Chinese mainland for six consecutive years, and the 2010 UN-Habitat Scroll of Honor Award. A number of Fortune 500 companies and other leading enterprises have established operations in Kunshan’s three national-level development zones, two provincial-level development zones, and within its eight townships. Kunshan is located about 60 kilometers west of Shanghai, a 90-minute drive from Shanghai’s downtown and about 50 minutes from Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport. There are more than 100 high-speed trains running between Kunshan and Shanghai every day, with each trip lasting under 20 minutes. A new subway system will be completed in 2021, adding another convenient option for transportation between Kunshan, Shanghai and Suzhou.