Located in the lower reaches of Skeeter River, across the banks of Skeeter River, there are two river tunnels connected. It is 86 kilometers north of Beihai, and its superior geographical position makes Antwerp the second port city in Europe and the first in Belgium. With more than 500 berths, Antwerp has become a European foreign trade center together with Rotterdam. Antwerp is the second largest economic center in Belgium, with many commercial organizations, import and export trading companies, banks, insurance companies and nearly 300 shipping companies. There is no canal leading to the Maas River in this city. Even the population in the suburbs is 920,000 (1983). This city was built in13rd century. 1460 became the first commercial city in Europe and the commercial and transportation center in northern Europe. /kloc-The 6th century was the most prosperous commercial and artistic city in Europe. China is the second largest industrial center with oil refining, chemistry, nonferrous metallurgy, automobile, steel, machinery, shipbuilding, medicine and other industries. Nordic Trade Center, one of the largest ports in the world, has a water depth of18.5m at high water level. The annual throughput is about 80 million tons. There are buildings such as the Royal Museum of Fine Arts and churches built in the Middle Ages, as well as numerous cultural and entertainment facilities.
Antwerp is a world-famous tourist city. People are attracted by its three main points: first, the well-preserved old buildings in the old city full of medieval flavor; Second, mysterious diamond processing and trading; Third, the world-famous painting art and numerous museums.
The old town of Antwerp is located in Starr. A new tunnel has been built at the bottom of Skeeter River, connecting the old and new urban areas. Medieval-style buildings in the old city are lined with quaint styles. Notre Dame de Antwerp, for example, is a masterpiece of Gothic architecture and the largest church in Belgium. Its steeple is as high as 1.23 meters, and it is known as "medieval skyscraper". The oil paintings of Rubens, a famous painter, are treasured in the church, among which Descendants of Jesus is one of the seven outstanding artists of Belgian art ... Antwerp Cathedral, Sao Paulo Cathedral and Plaza Bell Tower are all important attractions to attract tourists.
Antwerp is the world diamond processing and trade center, which can process nearly 50% of the world's diamonds every year. The diamond processing technology of Huo finnis Street in Antwerp is recognized as world-class, and Huo finnis Street is known as the richest street in the world. Several streets around Antwerp Railway Station are the intersection of diamond processing and trade. There are many diamond companies, diamond and gold and silver jewelry stores here, ranging from thousands of dollars of diamond rings and brooches to 6,543,800 dollars of diamond treasures.
Rubens, the representative of Flanders School, was born in the old town of Antwerp, and his former residence has been built into Rubens Museum. The French painter Plantan once lived in Antwerp, making the city a city of painting art, and the National Gallery displays the works of Flanders local painting school in various periods. Antwerp also has many museums with high collection quality. In addition to Rubens' former residence museum, there are the Royal Art Museum, the Folk Art Museum, the National maritime museum and the Diamond Museum, all of which are regarded as the pride of Antwerp.
Edit this paragraph in Antwerp Chinatown
Antwerp Chinatown is located in the center of Antwerp, named after 200 1, which is the first officially named Chinatown in Belgium.
There are more than 40 China companies and enterprises on both sides of Chinatown street. It is not only a place for overseas Chinese to gather and shop, but also a place for local residents to buy inexpensive China goods and appreciate the cultural atmosphere of China. Businessmen and tourists coming and going here have gradually become the main consumer groups here. They come here to taste delicious China food or experience the charm of oriental culture.
In 2006, a typical China archway was officially opened in Chinatown in Antwerp, Belgium, which was the first time that an archway symbolizing the traditional culture of China settled in the largest port city in Belgium. This archway will be built on the corner of Chinatown, facing the Central Railway Station Square in Antwerp. I hope it can become a landmark building in Antwerp, so as to attract more businessmen and tourists to invest and visit the famous European city of Antwerp and promote economic development.
In the column of "Shopping Guide" in official website, Antwerp, Belgium, Antwerp Chinatown was recommended as a place worth visiting. Chinatown has become a unique landscape, which has brought prosperity to the city in commerce and tourism.
Edit this paragraph: Diamond Capital of the World
Antwerp, Belgium is known as "the diamond capital of the world". Eight out of every 65,438+00 uncut diamonds in the world are processed by Antwerp, and more than half of the polished diamonds in the world also come from Antwerp. Last year, Antwerp's total diamond turnover was about $36 billion, accounting for 7% of Belgium's total exports. However, tourists will not think that behind these glittering diamond jewels, Antwerp's position as the world diamond capital has been facing challenges from many sides for hundreds of years, and it can no longer sit back and relax on the throne of the world diamond capital.
The rise of opponents
For a long time, Antwerp's advantages in attracting global diamond dealers are convenient infrastructure, high professional level and good quality of life. However, these are not enough to attract diamond dealers all over the world, because other places can also have these conditions and can provide more favorable conditions than Antwerp. At present, cities such as Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and Hongkong in China have seized more and more diamond trading shares from Antwerp. They are geographically close to the two fastest growing consumer markets, India and Chinese mainland. Last year, Dubai exported uncut rough diamonds to Antwerp, reaching $654.38 billion.
the brain drain
In addition, in the past 30 years, the diamond trading structure in Antwerp itself has also undergone great changes. Since15th century, the diamond trade in Antwerp has been controlled by Jews. But since the Indians came here in the 1970s, things have changed gradually. Today, Indians have controlled more than 60% of the Antwerp diamond market, while the Jewish market is only about 30%. In this case, more and more young Jewish families who traditionally deal in diamonds have to give up their ancestral businesses and choose other industries. In this context, about 90% of Antwerp's diamond production, including the cutting and polishing of rough stones, has been transferred to India because the labor cost in India is much lower than that in Belgium. With the transfer of production, the loss of professional talents also follows. Thirty years ago, there were 25,000 senior diamond polishers in Antwerp, and now there are only about 1700 people left.
Reduced supply of raw materials
In addition to the competition and brain drain from rival cities, Antwerp is also facing the challenge of diamond raw material supply. Belgium is the former sovereign state of Congo. In the past, this relationship has enabled Belgium to maintain a special relationship with diamond-producing countries in Africa. But this situation has also begun to change. For example, South Africa has begun to seek to control the export of rough diamonds and vigorously promote the cutting and polishing of rough diamonds in its own country. The change of business policy of the world-famous De Beers Company has also affected Antwerp's position as the diamond capital. De Beers is the most famous diamond mining company in the world, and 55% of Antwerp's diamonds come from De Beers. However, since 2003, De Beers began to reduce the customer list, and some small and medium-sized companies were excluded from the customer list. These new situations make Antwerp face the threat of a sharp decline in diamond sources.
challenge
Faced with these challenges, Antwerp diamond industry has begun to respond. The Diamond High Council, which represents the interests of 65,438+0,600 diamond companies in Antwerp, has begun to plan to expand diamond sales services. The purpose of the scheme is to provide diamond dealers with "one-stop" service from selection to processing to finished products in Antwerp. Some companies in Antwerp are prepared to participate in the whole process from mining to selling finished diamonds. In addition, since last year, the Antwerp Diamond High Council has actively promoted the establishment of the brand "Antwerp Diamond" and strived to make it a symbol of diamond quality assurance in the world. At the same time, the Diamond High Council is still negotiating with the Belgian government to make the diamond import and export procedures smoother.
Is it too late?
However, some people ask whether it is too late for Antwerp to defend its position as the diamond capital of the world. 1950, there were only four diamond trading centers in the world, all in Antwerp. Now, there are 24 diamond centers in the world. An insider who has been engaged in diamond trading in Antwerp for many years lamented that Antwerp can only be one of the diamond centers in the world in the future, but not the diamond capital of the world. Even so, if the headquarters of one or two important diamond companies leave Antwerp, it may have a domino effect, leading to the departure of a large number of diamond companies. By then, Antwerp's status as the diamond capital of the world will completely become history. This is the most worrying situation for many Antwerp diamond traders.