Maoming

Maoming (also romanized as Mowming) is a prefecture-level city in southwestern Guangdong province, China, on the coast of the South China Sea. It borders Zhanjiang to the west, Yangjiang to the east, and Yunfu to the northeast. The city lies 362 kilometers (225 miles) from the provincial capital Guangzhou and 121 kilometers (75 miles) from Zhanjiang. Its port, Maoming Port, is a Grade I facility that handled 16.8 million tons of cargo in 2007. Refined oil and aquatic products are the main exports, with major destinations including Hong Kong, Macao, and ASEAN member nations.

According to the 2020 census, Maoming’s population was 6,174,050. Of these, 2,539,148 live in the built-up (metro) area, which includes the two urban districts of Maonan and Dianbai, now largely conurbated. The city’s birth rate was 11.04‰. In 2012, its GDP reached RMB 195.118 billion (US$31.81 billion), a 10.6% increase over the previous year. That year, Maoming ranked seventh in GDP among Guangdong’s 21 cities and 79th among China’s 656 cities.

**Etymology** The city takes its name from Pan Maoming (290–371), a Jin dynasty Taoist scholar and doctor born in Gaozhou. In 598 A.D., during the Sui dynasty, the area was renamed by imperial decree in his honor.

**History** In early Chinese civilization, when the Wei and Yellow River valleys and the North China Plain were developing, the area around Maoming was inhabited by the Baiyue people. After the Qin invasion in the late 3rd century BC, the region was split into Nanhai, Xiang, and Guilin commanderies. Maoming County was established around 600 under the Sui dynasty. Under the Qing, it was part of Gaozhou Prefecture. In September 1950, Maoming County came under the Gaolei Administrative Region. Following the Chinese Civil War, Maoming became the main settlement in the area and was elevated to county-level city status in 1959.

In 2014, the city saw widespread protests against p-Xylene, a benzene-based chemical produced by local industry. Since the 18th Party Congress and the rise of Party general secretary Xi Jinping, Maoming has been one of the areas hardest hit by the anti-corruption campaign, with rampant buying and selling of official positions. A 2014 investigation by central inspection authorities found that 159 local officials had accepted bribes in various forms. Former Communist Party Secretary Zhou Zhenhong was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve for corruption linked to the p-Xylene scandal. Two other former party secretaries, Liang Yimin and Luo Yinguo, were removed from office and sentenced to prison.

**Demographics** The prefecture is home to a large number of minority groups, including the Yao, Zhuang, and Miao, which contributes to diverse cultural activities and folk arts. In southern Maoming, people speak a Min dialect brought by Putianese immigrants, closely related to the Leizhou dialect. In northern Maoming, the Gaoyang dialect of Cantonese is spoken, along with Mandarin. Hakka is also spoken by a portion of the population.

**Administration** Maoming administers five county-level divisions: two districts and three county-level cities. The defunct Maogang District is no longer in use.

**Geography** Located on the southwestern coast of Guangdong, Maoming governs Maonan District, Maogang District, and Dianbai County, as well as the county-level cities of Xinyi, Gaozhou, and Huazhou. Its coastline stretches 128.1 kilometers. The “First Shoal of China” resort lies 25 kilometers (16 miles) from downtown Maoming.

**Climate** *(No additional facts provided in the source.)*

**Economy** Maoming has been called one of “the top 100 developed cities in China” and a “National Garden City.” It is a major petrochemical production hub in South China and one of the largest fruit-producing areas. Other key industries include tilapia farming and processing, winter-planted vegetable production, and other energy, material, and heavy-chemical industrial activities.

Major economic indicators for 2012: - GDP: RMB 195.118 billion (US$31.81 million), up 10.6% - GDP composition: Primary industry (agriculture) 19.1%, Secondary industry (industry & construction) 37.2%, Tertiary industry (services) 43.7% - GDP per capita: RMB 33,537 (US$5,467.93), up 8.9% - Unemployment rate: 2.5% - Fixed asset investment: RMB 18.01 billion (US$2.64 billion), up 23.5% - Utilized FDI: US$31 million, down 44.2% - Total import & export: US$673 million, down 9.1% - Exports: US$532 million, up 7.4% - Imports: US$141 million, down 42.5% - Sales of consumer goods: RMB 60.1 billion (US$8.8 billion), up 20.3%

**Environmental issues** In March 2014, local residents protested the production of paraxylene, a chemical used in fabrics and plastic bottles, at a plant run by the local government and state-owned Sinopec, China’s largest refiner.

**Transport** *Highway*: Maoming is accessible via the Maozhan Expressway, which connects to the Kaiyang Expressway and Fokai Expressway, leading to Guangzhou. The drive from Guangzhou takes about five to six hours. *Railway*: The city is served by the Guangzhou-Maoming Railway (running east to the provincial capital), the Hechun-Maoming Railway (running west to the Litang-Zhanjiang Railway), and the Luoyang–Zhanjiang Railway (running north through eastern Guangxi and central Hunan to the Central Plain).

**Tourist attractions** Maoming features the No. 1 Shoal of China Vacation Area (中国第一滩), Chicken Island (Guangdong) (放鸡岛), and the Tianmashan (天马山) Eco-tourist Area. Other sites include the Temple of Madam Xian (冼太庙) in Gaozhou and the Genzi Litchi Cultural Tourist Area. The No. 1 Shoal is 25 kilometers (16 miles) from downtown Maoming, in Maogang District, with miles of fine beach.