Cultural heritage

Luoyang has integrated its own culture as an ancient capital with that of the Luohe River, the old Silk Road and the Grand Canal, making it a rich heritage center.

In recent years, the city has promoted the development of its cultural industry, protected its ancient heritage and accelerated construction of an international cultural tourism city and an international humanities exchange center.

The Luoyang Peony Culture Festival of China has been held for 38 consecutive years, while the Luoyang National Historical and Cultural Park of the Sui (581-618) and Tang (618-907) dynasties and the Museum of Xia Capital Relics in Erlitou have become must-see attractions.

Recently, construction of a cultural and environmental protection experimental zone was approved.

Luoyang has received more than 100 million tourists from home and abroad annually for the past five years, and nearly half of all tourists to Henan visit the city.

According to Wang Shuxia, Party chief of Luoyang's poverty alleviation office, over the past eight years, 499,000 people living in 728 villages across six counties have been lifted out of poverty.

"Luoyang is trying to seamlessly dovetail its poverty alleviation work with the rural vitalization project to give the people a stronger sense of gain and make their lives more secure," Wang said.

At present, the convergence of national strategies centered on the growth of the central region, environmental protection of the Yellow River Basin and high-quality development have opened an important window of opportunity for the city.

Luoyang plans to take this opportunity to carry out a new development concept and form a new development paradigm, according to the local government.

Zhang Guangxiu, vice-president of the Party School of the CPC Luoyang Committee, said the city's development has accelerated since it was earmarked as a subcenter of the Central China City Cluster.

"The city is undoubtedly at an important stage of its development, in which the advantages of its location are becoming more prominent, new development impetus is taking shape and its governance ability is improving," he said.