The Service Industry

With the adjustment of the economic structure and the advancement of reform, the service industry is growing rapidly. Along with the stable development of traditional business lines like food and beverages, other lines such as storage, finance, tourism, information, advertising, real estate and social services are also undergoing a rapid upsurge.

Businesses are quickening their steps in reorganization, transformation, and assets reorganization by means of transfer, coalition, merging, leasing, and joint stocks. 2,026 marketplaces have been built, of the largest of which are the Changchun International Exhibition Center, Changchun Auto Trade Center, Changchun Fruit Market Terminal, Changchun Guangfulu Road Market and the Jilin Cereals Market Terminal. New forms of commodity exchange and business are growing with rapid momentum, and there are an increasing number of specialized stores, exclusive agencies, chain stores, supermarkets, warehouse-type supermarkets, etc.

By the end of 2001 the province had six national highways, 16 provincial highways, and 150 county highways. The total mileage is 39,747 kilometers, of which classified roads account for 92.9%. 99.1% of the villages within the province are connected by highway and paved roads connect 84.1% of small villages. Class 2 or better highways connect the capital Changchun with the rest of the Jilin’s communities. In 1996 the Changchun-Siping Expressway, the first in the province, was built. By September 2002 the Changchun-Yushu Expressway was ready and the total mileage of expressways in the province has reached 542 kilometers.

The Railway System

Built in 1897(23rd year of Guangxu's reign of the Qing Dynasty), the railway system in the province has gone through different historical stages –the last years of the Qing Dynasty, the Republic of China, the period under the Japanese occupation, the liberation war, and the PRC. It has also been under different jurisdictions and hence has carried different names: Mideast Railway of China, Jilin-Changchun Railway, Manchurian Railway, Changchun Railway of China, and Jilin Railway Bureau. Now Changchun is the hub, the main lines being —Changchun-Dalian, Changchun-Harbin, Changchun-Tumen, and Changchun- Baishan. 2001 saw a railway freight volume of 41.37 billion kilometer tons, a transport volume of 13.26 billion passenger kilometers, and a passenger volume of 53.46 million riders.

Civil Aviation

Civil aviation in the province started in 1932. Since the founding of the PRC it has been gradually growing. Now there are over 40 international and domestic air routes using Changchun airport as their center, connecting neighboring countries and regions. The year 2001 witnessed a handling capacity of 1.52 million trips, and 23,000 tons of cargo and postal delivery. A new airport in Changchun-- Longjiapu Airport-- is under construction and it will be ready in 2004 with the capacity to handle 2.5 million people annually.

Post and Telecommunications

In 2001 the total value of post and telecom services in the province was 9.29 billion yuan and the estimate at the end of 2001 showed 4.23 million telephone users, 3.39 million mobile phone users, and 880,000 dial up internet users.
Post and Telecommunications

In 2001 the total value of post and telecom services in the province was 9.29 billion yuan and the estimate at the end of 2001 showed 4.23 million telephone users, 3.39 million mobile phone users, and 880,000 dial up internet users.

(Source: people's government of Jinlin province)