Suzhou, the "Venice of the East," is a city characterized by water. Canals, stone bridges, pagodas and exquisite gardens that date 1100 years back to the Song Dynasty, playfully intertwine throughout the Yangtze Delta to tumble onto the shores of Taihu Lake. It is with good reason that this southern city is one of China’s key attractions. For all its beguiling beauty, Suzhou also means business. To the east of the Old City lies Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP), a joint project between the Chinese and Singaporean governments. The SIP houses a high-tech export processing zone and a hi-tech industrial development zone, which now hosts 1500 foreign companies, 40 of which are Fortune 500. The city also boasts one of the busiest train stations in China, with 139 trains stopping daily. Its location on the Jinghu Railway places it strategically between Nanjing and Shanghai, and its new G series high-speed train can whisk you to the latter in under 30 minutes. The city has been prosperous and forward-looking throughout its 2500-year history, and that tradition continues today. The local government has promoted local farmers markets in which products are regularly tested for chemical residues; an increasing number of air pollution monitoring stations provide readily available data to Suzhou’s citizens; and residents can now hire bikes by the hour, in a scheme similar to that of the novel Vélib bike hire initiative in Paris, France. Suzhou is possibly one of China’s easiest cities to live in, not only for its arresting beauty and rich culture but also for its strong sense of community. Here you can participate in a half marathon or a family marathon, take the kids to the Sci-Edu Innovation Park, go off-roading in dune buggies, or picnic by the lake. You will find a thriving – and welcoming – foreign community that will make you feel instantly at home. Suzhou’s fantastic selection of restaurants and bars guarantee to satisfy any craving, from TexMex, French, to Sushi, or live music to sports bars. If you prefer to go local, the city is famed for its mouth-watering Xiao Chi (literally 'small eats," similar to the French "amuse bouche"), which you can find in abundance in the street stalls. This convivial, progressive city is a highly agreeable home base within one of the world’s most ancient and esoteric cultures.