Shijiazhuang is a prefecture-level city and the capital of Hebei province, China. It is about 280 km (170 mi) south of Beijing. Shijiazhuang is a newly industrialized city. It experienced dramatic growth after the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. The population of the urban core has more than quadrupled in only 30 years. It is a central hub of transportation routes. In 2009, the GDP of Shijiazhuang reached RMB 311.7 billion, an increase of 10 percent from the previous year. Shijiazhuang has become a major industrial city in North China and is considered to be the economic center of Hebei province. The city is the largest base for the pharmaceutical industry and is also one of the most important textile industry bases. Shijiazhuang High-Tech Industrial Development Zone was established in March 1991 as a state-level development zone and is divided into three districts. The zone, which has comprehensive infrastructure and industries, includes pharmaceuticals, elec