In 1800, Yangzhou was one of 10 cities in the world with a population over 500, 000.

FORBES: China's Tier 2 and Tier 3 Cities

Just 90 minutes from the Nanjing airport, Yizheng is a county level city under the jurisdiction of Yangzhou Prefecture City.

FORBES: China's Tier 2 and Tier 3 Cities

And GE (NYSE:GE) recently announced that it will be partnering with the City of Yangzhou to build a smart grid demonstration center.

FORBES: China's Smart Grid Boom

And just last week, housing-management authorities in Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, introduced a policy that rewards home buyers who purchase already finished residences.

FORBES: China's Cities Take Steps To Stimulate Home Purchases

Last month the housing ministry endorsed a plan by the eastern Chinese city of Yangzhou to provide subsidies of between 0.4% to 0.6% for purchases of newly built homes with finished interiors.

WSJ: China Housing Market Shows Signs of Warming

Yangzhou, where Marco Polo once served as a municipal official, has a history of 2, 500 years, dating back to the Spring and Autumn Period in China (771 to 403 BC) when it was called Guangling.

FORBES: China's Tier 2 and Tier 3 Cities

For example, Yangzhou city in eastern China said last month it would provide a subsidy of 0.4% to 0.6% on purchases of newly built homes with finished interiors, a move that has been publicly endorsed by the housing ministry.

WSJ: China Steps Up Support for Parts of Housing Market