Guangzhou

Guangzhou is the capital of Guangdong province and a historic trading port on the Pearl River, long serving as China's gateway to the world. With a metropolitan population of around 19 million, it is one of the country's largest and most commercially dynamic cities, home to a substantial international community. The climate is humid subtropical, bringing long, hot, humid summers and short, mild winters with little cold. Landmarks range from the soaring Canton Tower to the intricate Chen Clan Ancestral Hall, the colonial-era Shamian Island, and Yuexiu Park with its Five Rams statue. Guangzhou is the heartland of Cantonese cuisine, celebrated for delicate dim sum, wonton noodles, roast goose, and tea culture. An enormous metro system, Baiyun International Airport, and high-speed rail make it a major hub linking Hong Kong, Shenzhen, and the whole Pearl River Delta. For an international student, Guangzhou offers a cosmopolitan, business-oriented environment, warm weather, excellent food, and one of the largest foreign populations in China.